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The  Publication  Committee  of  the  Grolier  Club 
certifies  that  this  copy  of  a ‘‘  Catalogue  of 
an  Exhibition  of  Early  and  Original  Editions 
of  Italian  Books  ” is  one  of  an  edition  of  three 
hundred  and  six  copies,  on  hand-made  paper, 
of  which  two  are  for  the  Club  library,  two  for 
copyright,  and  two  for  presentation,  and  that 
all  were  printed  in  the  month  of  January,  1904. 


Catalogue 

of  an  Exhibition  of 
Original  and  Early  Editions 

of 

Italian  Books 


Selected  from  a Collection  designed 
to  illustrate  the  Development 
of  Italian  Literature 


New  York 
The  Grolier  Club 
1904 


Copyright,  1904,  by 
The  Grolier  Club  of  the 
City  of  New  York 


Address  of 

Marion  Crawford^  Esq. 

Delivered  before  the  members  of  the  Grolier  Club 
on  the  occasion  of  the  opening  of  the 
Exhibition  of  Italian  Books 


Address  of 

Marion  Crawford,  Esq, 

IT  is  manifestly  impossible  to  give  a sketch 
of  such  a subject  as  Italian  literature 
from  the  thirteenth  century  to  the  seventeenth 
within  the  limits  accorded  to  me.  It  has  been 
justly  said  that  literature  developed  somewhat 
later  in  Italy  than  in  some  other  European 
countries ; but  the  slowness  of  the  develop- 
ment was  more  than  compensated  by  the 
variety  exhibited  in  the  subsequent  growth. 
For  instance,  even  in  the  wide  domain  of 
English  letters  it  would  be  hard  to  name 
three  writers  of  attainments  and  natural  gifts 
so  varied  as  Dante,  Boccaccio,  and  Petrarch, 
all  alive  at  the  same  time.  Or,  to  take  those 
usually  designated  as  the  four  great  poets, 
Dante,  Petrarch,  Ariosto,  and  Tasso,  can  any 
other  nation  show  four  writers  of  verse,  all 
admittedly  great,  yet  all  so  notably  individual 
and  different  in  manner  ? Or,  again,  take  Sa- 
vonarola, Pietro  Aretino,  and  Macchiavelli : 
the  first,  the  religious  enthusiast,  perhaps  the 
fanatic ; Aretino,  the  satirical  unbeliever,  the 
Petronius  of  his  day ; Macchiavelli,  the  cour- 
vii 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


tier,  whose  name  has  become  a by-word 
for  tortuous  intrigue,  who  was  neither  for 
good  nor  against  it,  neither  against  evil  nor 
for  it,  but  only,  in  his  greatest  book,  for 
the  absolute  rule  of  his  ideal,  Caesar  Borgia. 
In  the  attempt  to  grasp  and  understand  such 
varied  personalities,  and  to  carry  in  the  mem- 
orysomething of  the  writings  of  each,  the  mind 
becomes  dazed  and  confused.  I shall  there- 
fore not  attempt  to  do  more  than  give  a very 
slight  account  of  a few  among  the  great  lead- 
ers of  Italian  literature,  with  whom  most  of 
you,  I have  no  doubt,  have  more  than  a pass- 
ing acquaintance. 

Dante  really  comes  first;  but  before  him 
we  find  upon  the  catalogue  of  works  before 
us  the  name  of  Brunetto  Latini,  Dante’s 
teacher,  and  also  the  instructor  of  Dante’s 
friend  and  fellow-poet,  Guido  Cavalcanti. 
No  plodding  schoolmaster  was  he,  nor 
priestly  teacher  of  the  mediaeval  type.  He 
was  a man  full  of  the  spirit  of  his  times;  a 
Guelph  of  the  Guelphs,  and  their  ambassa- 
dor to  Alfonso  of  Castile;  not  only  a man 
fambus  in  letters,  but  a model  of  prudence 
and  wisdom  in  public  affairs ; an  exile,  too, 
after  the  terrible  defeat  which  drove  the 
Guelphs  from  Florence,  hither  and  thither 
and  homeless,  throughout  Italy  and  Europe ; 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


a man,  moreover,  who  wrote  as  easily  in  the 
French  language  as  in  his  own,  and  as 
readily  in  Latin  as  in  either.  He  filled 
Dante’s  young  intelligence  with  thoughts 
high  and  mature,  so  that  the  great  pupil 
began  to  think,  as  it  were,  at  the  high-water 
mark  of  the  teacher’s  wisdom.  Brunetto  died 
when  Dante  was  but  nineteen  years  old  and 
had  only  given  the  first  warning  of  his  genius 
in  a few  of  the  sonnets  and  canzoni  of  the 
Vita  Nuova.  The  book  itself  did  not 
take  shape  till  he  was  twenty-five.  The 
poet’s  youth,  says  Ugolini,  was  spent  between 
study,  love,  and  arms,  which  are  the  fountains 
of  wisdom,  gentleness,  and  strength.  In 
study  he  surpassed  all  the  men  of  his  time, 
and  in  those  days  it  was  really  possible  to 
know  all  that  could  be  known.  The  Vita 
Nuova,  the  Divine  Comedy,  and  the  prose 
writings  of  Dante  exhibit  a knowledge  of 
nature,  of  books,  and  of  mankind  which 
has  rarely  been  equalled  in  any  age  and  has 
probably  never  been  surpassed.  There  was 
hardly  a single  law  of  nature  known  in  the 
thirteenth  century  which  Dante  did  not  at 
one  time  or  amother  expound,  explain,  and 
broaden  according  to  his  lights.  There  was  no 
question  of  religious  belief,  of  conduct,  or  of 
general  morality  which  he  did  not  touch  upon 


IX 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


and  beautify.  There  was  hardly  an  episode 
in  the  history  of  his  century  which  he  did  not 
present  in  a new  and  striking  light.  His 
eminence  as  a man  of  learning  places  him 
without  doubt  above  all  the  leading  men  of 
his  day,  and  yet  when  we  pronounce  the 
name  of  Dante  we  associate  it  neither  with 
science,  nor  with  language,  nor  with  history ; 
we  couple  it  with  another  name,  without 
which  his  own  seems  incomplete,  and  in  our 
imaginations  his  shade  rises  from  the  past 
hand  in  hand  with  the  spirit  of  Beatrice.  We 
forget  the  man  of  learning,  we  are  almost 
ready  to  overlook  the  poet;  we  see  most 
clearly,  after  six  hundred  years,  the  inspired 
lover  of  the  Vita  Nuova  and  of  the  conclud- 
ing cantos  of  the  Purgatory. 

The  Iliad  of  Homer  is  the  greatest  love- 
story  of  the  world.  The  wrath  of  Achilles 
at  being  robbed  of  the  beloved  Briseis  fills  it 
from  end  to  end,  and  the  woes  of  the  Greeks 
avenge  a thousandfold  the  heartaches  of  the 
hero ; nor  is  he  appeased  at  last  until  the 
lovely  captive  is  brought  back  to  him  un- 
scathed from  the  tent  of  the  king.  Dante’s 
love-story  is  told  in  the  Vita  Nuova^  but 
his  great  love-poem  is  the  Divine  Comedy 
itself.  Scholars  have  discussed  the  identity, 
the  character,  and  the  influence  of  Beatrice 


X 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


for  centuries,  and  we  are  to-day  no  nearer  to 
knowing  who  she  was  than  was  Boccaccio  him- 
self. But  one  thing  we  do  know : that  Dante 
loved  her,  and  that  it  was  love  of  her  that 
inspired  him  throughout  the  greatest  task  ever 
begun  and  accomplished  by  a poet.  Many 
of  us  who,  for  one  reason  or  another,  have 
spent  time  in  trying  to  find  out  the  truth 
about  Dante’s  life  are  convinced  that  the 
lady  of  his  love  was  not  Beatrice  Portinari, 
the  fair  daughter  of  his  father’s  neighbor,  nor 
any  Beatrice  at  all;  and  that  he  merely  al- 
lowed his  friends  to  believe  that  it  was  she 
in  order  to  conceal  her  true  name  altogether. 
Many  of  us  are  inclined  to  believe  that  there 
was  some  deep-seated  reason  in  the  poet’s 
life  wherefore  he  ‘'fell,  as  fall  the  dead,” 
when  Francesca  of  Rimini  had  told  him  her 
tragic  story  in  the  lull  of  the  infernal  gales. 
We  know  something  of  the  man’s  nature 
from  his  contemporaries.  He  was  passion- 
ate, headstrong,  and  wayward  in  his  youth, 
as  many  a great  poet  has  been.  He  was 
most  unlike  the  timid  and  gentle  lover  of 
the  Vita  Nuova  in  his  outward  life,  and  yet 
somehow  we  know  that  his  true  story,  dark, 
tragic  perhaps,  and  certainly  mysterious,  is 
hidden  somewhere  in  the  language  of  those 
exquisite  pages ; and  we  know  that  it  was  the 


XI 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


dead  woman  who  inspired  him  with  the  strong 
wish  to  say  of  her  “such  things  as  no  man 
had  ever  said  of  woman  ” since  the  world 
began,  and  that  the  thought  of  her  was  with 
him  in  his  exile,  in  his  work,  in  his  lonely 
life,  to  the  end.  So  much  for  the  years  of 
his  youth  spent  in  study  and  love;  but  Ugo- 
lini  speaks  of  arms  also.  Fighting  was  but 
an  episode  in  the  poet’s  life,  at  a time  when 
few  men  who  boasted  themselves  good  citi- 
zens could  escape  military  service  altogether. 
He  was  present  in  at  least  one  decisive  bat- 
tle, at  Campaldino,  which  was  a hard-fought 
field,  and  what  he  saw  there  remained  indeli- 
bly impressed  upon  his  memory ; for  fighting 
was  fighting  in  those  days.  A soldier  said 
the  other  day  that  all  he  had  seen  of  a battle 
was  a great  deal  of  smoke  and  the  back  of 
the  man  in  front  of  him.  In  the  thirteenth 
century  there  was  no  smoke,  and  men  fought 
hand  to  hand,  cut  and  thrust,  and  hacked 
each  other  and  each  other’s  horses  with 
swords  and  axes.  More  than  once  in  the 
course  of  his  great  poem  Dante  describes 
scenes  of  carnage,  and  there  is  always  in  his 
description  the  sure  touch  of  the  eye-witness ; 
so  that  it  is  fair  enough  to  say  that  what 
formed  a part  of  his  experience  was  in  the 
end  a part  of  his  education.  He  lived  in  a 


Xll 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 

time  of  great  changes,  and  on  the  eve  of  a 
great  revival.  His  figure  stands  on  the 
threshold  of  the  Renaissance;  his  influence 
began  before  it,  contributed  to  its  growth, 
and  was  felt  long  after  it  had  produced  a 
new  era  of  thought  and  literature.  He  was 
acknowledged  to  be  great  while  he  was  liv- 
ing, and  not  long  after  his  death  he  was 
looked  upon  as  the  greatest.  He  made  the 
language  in  which  he  wrote,  for  he  was  the 
first  who  dared  to  give  the  world  at  large  his 
thoughts  in  his  native  tongue,  instead  of  in 
barbarous  Latin.  He  made  the  language, 
and  made  it  so  well  that  hundreds  of  his 
verses  are  familiar  to  men  and  women  of  our 
own  time  all  over  the  world,  and  not  famil- 
iar as  archaisms  or  curiosities  either,  but  as 
the  poetry  of  a living  language.  The  same 
cannot  be  said  of  any  other  writer  in  any 
other  country  whose  works  date  from  the 
year  1300,  and  in  this  respect  it  is  not  too 
much  to  say  that  in  him  Italian  literature  at 
once  took  the  lead  of  all  others  by  producing 
great  masterpieces,  which  are  still  not  only 
beautiful  but  comprehensible  to  any  one  pos- 
sessed of  an  ordinary  knowledge  of  the  mod- 
ern language.  The  Renaissance  came  in- 
deed, the  great  revival  of  European  learning, 
the  love  for  the  classics,  which  produced 
xiii 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


books  that  were  very  nearly  classic  in  form, 
if  not  in  substance;  but  the  great  men  still 
followed  the  great  leader,  and  no  great  poet 
ever  again  made  it  a rule  to  express  himself 
in  Latin.  What  is  most  remarkable  in  the 
careers  of  all  men  of  genius  is  the  immense 
reach  of  their  first  efforts,  the  vast  stride 
which  takes  them  at  the  very  first  out  of  ob- 
scurity into  the  full  blaze  of  fame.  Of  this 
there  is  no  more  striking  instance  than  Dante’s 
life.  Long  before  printing  was  invented  his 
books  were  read  throughout  Italy  and  in 
other  parts  of  Europe.  Long  before  the 
Paradise  was  finished  a hundred  passages  of 
his  Inferno  were  household  words  in  his  own 
country.  Long  before  he  had  reached  the 
end  of  his  career  he  knew  that  he  had  won 
immortality,  and  he  said  justly,  in  the  se- 
rene certainty  of  genius,  that  he,  too,  like 
Horace,  had  raised  up  a monument  to  him- 
self more  enduring  than  bronze.  Like  all 
the  greatest  writers,  he  founded  a school, 
and  the  school  he  founded  was  one  of  the 
most  enduring  that  has  ever  flourished.  He 
did  not  escape  criticism,  but  he  was  beyond 
competition.  Fastidious  men  of  letters  after- 
wards called  his  verses  harsh,  rough,  clumsy ; 
but  they  were  monumental,  they  endured,  and 
he  endures  in  them  even  to  our  own  time. 


XIV 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


The  life  of  Petrarch  resembles  that  of 
Dante  inasmuch  as  it  was  founded  upon  the 
pursuit  of  learning  and  beautified  by  the  love 
of  a good  woman,  in  whom  the  poet  dis- 
covered his  ideal,  and  who  died  young,  while 
he  was  in  the  full  possession  of  his  poetical 
gifts.  In  all  other  respects  the  lives  of  the 
two  men  are  strongly  contrasted.  Dante’s 
character  passed  through  phases  of  fierceness, 
melancholy,  and  bitterness.  He  was  a lay- 
man, he  was  for  a time  a soldier,  he  belonged 
to  the  losing  faction  of  his  day,  he  was  an 
exile.  Petrarch  was  gentle,  artistic,  sweet- 
tempered,  a priestly  comrtier.  He  was  a 
temperate  ambassador,  a man  willing  to  ac- 
cept the  times  as  they  were,  not  without  hope 
of  bettering  them,  but  altogether  without 
Dante’s  furious  longing  to  destroy  injustice, 
even  at  the  risk  of  destroying  justice  too. 
Dante’s  love  was  an  inspiration,  a main- 
spring, a strength.  Petrarch’s  was  an  object 
in  itself,  a deity  in  his  temple,  the  idol  of  his 
shrine.  Petrarch’s  best  works  are  the  expres- 
sion of  his  devotion  to  Laura,  they  are  the 
exquisite  setting  of  his  jewel,  they  are  the 
canvas  and  the  colors  of  a woman’s  portrait, 
they  are  the  “ vehicle  ” of  beauty.  But 
Dante’s  masterpiece  embraced  the  world  it- 
self, found  that  world  too  small,  plunged  into 


XV 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


Hell,  and  rose  again  to  the  outer  firmament 
of  Heaven. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  imagine  two  men 
more  completely  contrasted.  If  there  is  any- 
thing in  handwriting  to  denote  the  character 
of  the  writer,  the  autographs  of  Dante  and 
Petrarch  must  be  striking  examples  of  the 
science.  Dante’s  writing  is  angular,  cramped, 
upright,  and  original.  Petrarch’s  was  famous 
for  its  beauty  even  in  his  own  day.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  say  that  the  first  Italian  book 
which  issued  from  the  Aldine  press,  and  which 
was  a volume  of  Petrarch’s  works,  was  printed 
with  type  cut  to  imitate  the  author’s  hand- 
writing, and  that  this  type  has  come  down 
to  us  in  the  present  day  under  the  name  of 
“ italic.”  It  was  a careful,  scrupulously  neat 
and  even  character,  such  as  any  one  of  us 
would  be  glad  to  write,  if  only  for  the  sake 
of  clearness.  There  is  a fine  copy  of  this 
book  in  the  collection  before  us,  also  three 
beautiful  MSS.  and  a copy  of  the  first  folio 
of  the  complete  works. 

Dante  was  thirty-nine  years  old  when 
Petrarch  was  born.  When  Boccaccio  came 
into  the  world  Petrarch  was  nine,  and  Dante 
still  had  eight  years  to  live.  When  Boccaccio 
was  grown  up  Dante  was  already  looked  upon 
as  the  Italian  classic,  and  Boccaccio  in  his 


XVI 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 

last  years  occupied  the  chair  of  professor,  as 
expounder  of  Dante’s  works,  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Florence.  Within  two  lifetimes  a 
whole  epoch  passes  before  us,  from  the 
founder  of  Italian  literature,  rough-hewing 
his  way  out  of  darkness,  to  the  most  graceful 
love-poet  of  any  country  or  age;  and  from 
him  again  to  the  incomparable  novelist,  the 
author  of  th.t  Fiammetta,  of  the  Amorous  Vision, 
and  of  the  Decamero7i  itself. 

Boccaccio  was  both  a prose  writer  and  a 
poet,  and  in  his  own  voluminous  writings  is 
found  the  transition  from  the  metrical  ro- 
mance to  the  prose  novel.  He  is  by  many 
considered  to  have  invented  the  stanza  of 
eight  lines,  commonly  known  in  Italian  as 
the  “ ottava  rima,”  in  which  the  epics  of 
Boiardo,  Ariosto,  and  Tasso  were  afterwards 
written.  He  also  attempted  to  imitate  Dante 
in  the  “terza  rima,”  or  three-lined  stanza, 
but  without  success,  and  he  ultimately  found 
the  natural  expression  of  his  genius  in  the 
harmonious  prose  of  the  Decameron. 

He  was  neither  a political  exile,  like  Dante, 
nor  a prosperous  courtier,  like  Petrarch ; he 
was  a poor  literary  man,  who  enjoyed  the  fa- 
vor of  sovereigns  at  intervals,  from  time  to 
time ; and  Petrarch  left  him  a small  sum  of 
money  by  will  for  the  express  purpose  of 
xvii 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 

buying  himself  a fur  coat  to  keep  him  warm 
when  he  was  studying  at  night.  He  was  af- 
flicted also  in  his  latter  years  by  an  unsightly 
disease  of  the  face,  which  made  him  shun 
company  and  daylight;  though  neither  this 
nor  his  other  troubles  seem  to  have  affected 
the  brilliant  gayety  of  his  talent,  which  was 
the  foundation  of  his  enduring  fame. 

Popular  opinion  has  been  unjust  to  him. 
In  the  minds  of  the  average  public  the  De- 
caineron  is  supposed  to  be  a collection  of 
tales,  anything  but  moral,  not  always  decent, 
and  generally  high-flavored.  This  is  far  from 
being  the  case.  The  work,  doubtless,  con- 
tains a few  stories  which  deserve  any  of  the 
epithets  I have  mentioned,  and  these  have 
sufficed  to  give  the  book  a bad  name,  but  it 
contains  many  of  a very  different  and  more 
refined  nature.  I possess  an  old  expurgated 
edition  of  the  Decameron^  and  while,  as  a 
man  of  letters,  I disapprove  of  “ Bowdleriz- 
ing ” anything  worth  reading  at  all,  I must 
admit  that  in  this  instance  the  result  is  a dis- 
tinct gain  to  the  literature  which  we  may 
place  in  the  hands  of  our  wives  and  daughters. 

Yet  considering  the  age  in  which  he  lived 
and  the  nature  of  polite  conversation  in  his 
time,  Boccaccio  must  be  reckoned  one  of 
the  most  refined  among  his  contemporaries. 


XVlll 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


The  Decameron  is  a collection  of  what  we 
should  call  short  stories,  depicting  in  bril- 
liant colors  the  elegant  and  sensuous  exis- 
tence in  which  the  young  author  played  a part. 
But  though  young,  and  an  author,  he  was  en- 
dowed with  worldly  wisdom  and  clear  sight, 
and  the  book  is  a mirror  of  life  in  the  four- 
teenth century,  with  its  gay  and  sad  adven- 
tures, its  romantic  meetings  and  partings,  its 
quick  wit,  and  its  elaborate  courtesy.  We 
find  in  the  tales  the  grace  of  unusual  yet  pos- 
sible plots,  dramatic  movement,  irony,  an  in- 
dulgent spirit  towards  human  weakness,  and 
withal  the  expression  of  a true  sense  of  manly 
honor.  The  difference  between  those  days 
and  ours  is  this:  the  Decameron  was  written 
for  the  women  of  the  fourteenth  century; 
it  is  read  by  the  men  of  the  twentieth. 

Boccaccio  is  one  of  the  earliest  instances 
of  a type  common  among  literary  men  ever 
since.  He  was  gay,  but  he  was  not  vicious. 
He  sometimes  earned  money,  but  was  utterly 
incapable  of  keeping  it.  He  occupied  more 
than  one  brilliant  position  during  his  life,  but 
he  ended  his  days  in  his  native  town  in  the 
studious  and  dignified  retirement  of  unde- 
served poverty. 

As  an  instance  of  the  completeness  of  the 
collection  of  books  before  us,  I should  like 


XIX 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


to  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  among 
the  examples  of  his  works  are  to  be  found  a 
manuscript  of  his  book  on  Mountains^  Rivers 
and  Woods,  the  first  edition  of  it  in  Latin,  and 
the  first  Italian  translation. 

Following  the  pages  of  this  most  interest- 
ing catalogue  the  eye  is  soon  arrested  by  the 
name  of  Lorenzo  de’  Medici.  Near  his  stands 
that  of  Politian,  the  companion  of  Lorenzo’s 
studies,  and  afterwards  the  tutor  of  his  chil- 
dren; Boiardo’s  name  is  there,  and  not  far 
from  it  those  of  Savonarola  and  Nicholas 
Macchiavelli.  The  Florentines  of  to-day  are 
fond  of  saying  that  Florence  would  have 
been  as  great  if  it  had  never  been  ruled  by 
the  race  whose  name  is  inseparably  associated 
with  hers.  This  may  or  may  not  be  true,  and 
at  the  best  all  such  truths  are  relative.  But 
even  the  Florentines  cannot  deny  the  im- 
mense influence  of  the  Medici  in  the  advance- 
ment of  art  and  learning.  Lorenzo  the  Mag- 
nificent lived  but  forty-four  years,  Politian 
lived  only  forty,  Savonarola  forty-six,  and 
Macchiavelli,  the  most  long-lived  of  the  four, 
was  just  fifty-eight  when  he  fell  ill  and  died. 
It  seems  nothing  short  of  marvellous  to  us  that 
the  men  who  left  such  names  behind  them 
should  have  earned  fame  in  so  short  a career, 
the  one  as  a poet  and  a ruler  of  men,  the  next 


XX 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


as  a poet  and  a grammarian,  the  third  as  a re- 
former, a preacher,  a patriot,  and  perhaps  a 
saint,  and  the  last  as  the  father  of  a school 
of  policy.  I think  it  was  in  1863  that  Bis- 
marck, being  called  to  take  the  direction  of 
Prussian  affairs,  said  to  his  wife : ‘‘  My  dear, 
I am  too  old.  My  active  career  is  over.” 
His  life  was  in  reality  before  him,  at  the  age 
when  Lorenzo  de’  Medici  and  Savonarola 
had  reached  the  end  of  theirs.  Yet  apart 
from  the  position  which  he  assumed  and  held 
among  the  princes  of  Europe,  Lorenzo  earned 
the  right  to  be  counted  among  the  chief  poets 
of  his  century,  and  his  love-lyrics  still  hold 
their  own  in  the  Italian  language.  It  is  not 
to  his  discredit  if  he  imitated  his  friend  Poli- 
tian,  for  Politian,  in  turn,  did  not  hesitate  to 
imitate  him.  Much  of  his  work  was  truly  origi- 
nal, bold,  and  passionate.  His  creations,  when 
he  allowed  himself  full  freedom  of  expression, 
were  alive  with  the  blood  of  true  poetry,  in- 
stead of  being  filled  with  an  artificial  nectar 
brewed  from  the  leavings  of  Greek  and  Latin 
gods.  But  it  is  above  all  as  a man  that  he 
is  remembered,  the  protector  of  students, 
poets,  and  artists ; the  man  who  desired  the 
friendship  of  Savonarola,  but  to  whom  Sa- 
vonarola refused  to  do  homage,  who  sent  for 
Savonarola  on  his  death-bed,  and  to  whom 


XX] 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


the  monk  would  not  grant  absolution  unless 
Lorenzo  would  promise  not  to  leave  the  lord- 
ship  of  Florence  to  be  handed  down  in  his 
own  family ; last  and  not  least,  Lorenzo  was 
the  friend  and  protector  of  Michelangelo. 

Of  Savonarola  it  is  always  hard  to  speak. 
Even  at  this  late  day  partisans  arise  for  him 
and  against  him ; in  a breath  he  is  called  pa- 
triot and  traitor,  saint  and  heretic.  His  life 
began  with  a love-story  and  ended  on  the 
gallows,  where  he  was  hanged  before  his  body 
was  burnt.  In  the  little  city  of  Ferrara, 
where  he  was  born,  he  fell  hopelessly  in  love 
with  a natural  daughter  of  one  of  the  Strozzi 
family  exiled  there.  The  girl  did  not  return 
his  love ; whether  repelled  by  his  strange  fea- 
tures or  the  natural  hardness  of  his  manner, 
we  do  not  know.  Disappointed,  he  went  to 
Florence  without  telling  his  parents  of  his  in- 
tention, and  entered  the  Dominican  Order  as 
a novice.  Like  many  men  who  have  left 
great  names,  his  youth  was  a series  of  disap- 
pointments. He  preached  without  success, 
he  fought  against  the  evils  of  his  time,  and 
failed  to  make  any  impression  upon  them ; but 
repeated  failure  hardened  his  hard  character 
as  blows  harden  steel.  He  persisted,  he  drew 
upon  him  the  attention  of  Lorenzo  at  last, 
and  the  time  came  when  those  who  had  re- 


xxii 


Address  of  Marion  Cranford 

fused  to  hear  him  hung  upon  the  words  that 
fell  from  his  lips.  He  fancied  that  he  saw 
visions,  and  he  believed  in  them ; some  of  his 
predictions  were  fulfilled,  and  the  people 
called  him  a prophet.  He  lived  two  lives, 
the  one  for  his  time  strenuous,  untiring,  spot- 
less ; the  other  a life  of  mystic  exaltation  bor- 
dering on  ecstasy.  Among  the  rare  works  to 
be  found  in  this  collection  are  first  editions 
of  his  various  sermons,  which,  although  writ- 
ten in  Latin,  were  published  only  in  Italian, 
and  were  chiefly  preached  in  that  language. 
The  sermons  are  the  man,  vehement,  exalted, 
full  of  the  tyranny  of  conviction. 

It  is  impossible  to  speak  of  this  period  of 
Italian  literature,  as  it  would  be  unjust  to 
comment  ever  so  lightly  upon  the  collection 
before  us,  without  speaking  of  the  poet 
Boiardo,  the  author  of  the  Orlando  Lina- 
morato.  We  have  here,  I think,  all  the 
rarest  editions  of  his  works,  including  the 
Venetian  edition  of  1543,  of  which  only  two 
other  copies  are  known  to  exist  in  the  world. 
It  is  a remarkable  fact  that  no  edition  of 
Boiardo’s  works  in  their  original  shape  was 
published  from  1544  to  1830,  the  edition  of 
1545,  which  is  here,  being  a sort  of  remould- 
ing of  the  original  poem  by  the  obscure  poet 
Ludovico  Domenichi. 

xxiii 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 

Boiardo  was  the  first  of  the  Italian  poets  * 
to  make  use  of  the  Carlovingian  traditions  in 
a romantic  poem  of  chivalry.  Without  his 
work  Ariosto  would  never  have  produced  the 
Orla7ido  Furioso  nor  is  it  likely  that  Tasso 
would  have  composed  the  Jerusalem,  The 
work  itself  has  been  much  criticized,  ever 
since  it  was  produced,  for  the  carelessness  of 
its  style  and  the  incorrectness  of  its  language, 
not  to  mention  the  frequent  use  of  words  of 
the  Lombard  dialect,  and  phrases  taken  whole 
from  the  productions  of  market-place  story- 
tellers. The  work  contains  sixty-nine  cantos, 
and  was  to  have  been  considerably  longer, 
but  was  cut  short,  as  the  author  explains  in 
the  last  stanza,  because,  while  he  was  singing 
the  “ Orlando  in  Love,”  the  French  had  set 
Italy  in  a blaze.  The  poem  ends  with  a 
promise  that  if  possible  he  will  once  more 
return  to  his  hero  and  heroine  ; but  the  writer 
was  already  near  his  end  and  did  not  live  to 
continue  his  work.  He  was  of  gentle  birth, and 
bore  the  title  of  “Count  of  Scandiano.”  We 
learn  that  he  was  of  very  kind  temper  and  very 
just  in  the  administration  of  the  many  offices 
he  held,  beloved  alike  by  the  princes  he  served 
and  by  the  people  he  governed  for  them. 

There  is  no  unity  of  action  in  his  poem, 
nor  any  central  interest  to  justify  the  endless 


XXIV 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


episodes  described ; but  the  work  undoubtedly- 
aroused  an  especial  interest  at  the  time,  be- 
cause it  described  the  struggles  of  Christian 
knights  with  Mohammedan  champions,  at  a 
time  when  Mohammed  II  had  quenched  the 
ashes  of  the  Eastern  Empire  in  blood,  and 
had  filled  eastern  Europe  with  the  terror  of 
his  name.  Boiardo’s  knights  fought  with  the 
strength  of  giants,  but  are  always  exquisitely 
courteous.  They  found  themselves  in  en- 
chanted castles,  their  enemies  assailed  them 
with  enchanted  arms,  enchanted  rings  set 
ladies’  hearts  beating  for  love,  and  ladies  and 
knights  alike  drank  at  the  enchanted  foun- 
tains of  love  and  hate.  Yet  there  is  much 
of  humanity  in  the  poem,  and  Italian  critics 
say  that  it  is  a faithful  representation  of  the 
court  life  of  the  Dukes  of  Ferrara,  where 
ancient,  warlike,  and  feudal  customs  were 
softened  by  a young  and  enthusiastic  culture 
of  the  beautiful.  There  is  indeed  something 
far  more  human  in  the  personages  of  the 
poem  than  in  those  of  the  early  epics,  with  a 
tendency  to  transplant  the  miraculous  from 
the  level  of  mere  magic,  and  out  of  fairyland 
to  the  region  of  mystic  and  divine  powers. 
Few  of  the  most  industrious  readers  of  Italian 
literature  have  had  the  courage  and  the 
patience  to  go  through  the  sixty-nine  cantos 


XXV 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 

to  the  end,  yet  with  a slight  acquaintance 
gained  from  reading  a few  pages  of  the  poem 
we  may  easily  convince  ourselves  of  the  value 
of  Professor  d’ Ancona’s  criticism,  the  sub- 
stance of  which  I have  given  you  here. 

Of  the  writers  of  whom  I have  spoken,  per- 
haps at  too  great  a length,  it  remains  for  me 
to  say  something  of  Nicholas  Macchiavelli, 
often  spoken  of  as  the  “ Florentine  Secre- 
tary,” from  his  having  held  an  office  of  Sec- 
retary under  the  Republic  during  fourteen 
consecutive  years.  He  was  removed  from  it 
on  the  return  of  the  Medici  to  Florence  in 
1512,  was  accused  of  conspiracy,  was  im- 
prisoned and  tortured,  but  was  finally  ac- 
quitted and  set  free.  In  spite  of  these 
circumstances,  however,  he  succeeded  several 
years  later  in  ingratiating  himself  anew  with 
the  Medici  family,  but  died  of  grief  because, 
after  they  had  been  driven  out  again  in  1527, 
he  was  unable  to  obtain  the  post  of  Secretary 
to  the  Council  of  War  under  their  enemies. 
Such  conduct  was  only  too  much  in  accord- 
ance with  the  spirit  of  the  times,  and  Mac- 
chiavelli has  too  often  been  blamed  for  being 
no  worse  than  thousands  of  his  contempo- 
raries. He  appears  to  have  been  a man  of 
rich  wit  and  poor  fortune,  since  he  left  his 
wife  and  five  children  in  a starving  condition 


XXVI 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


and  endowed  the  world  with  writings  of 
genius.  He  wrote  upon  a great  variety  of 
subjects,  but  he  is  best  remembered  by  the 
work  entitled  the  Prince,  which  was  com- 
posed when  he  was  at  the  height  of  his 
powers,  and  treated  chiefly  of  his  friend,  pa- 
tron, and  idol,  Caesar  Borgia.  In  reading 
this  work,  as  in  considering  the  life  of  the 
writer,  common  justice  requires  that  we 
should  remember  the  nature  of  the  times  in 
which  the  book  was  written.  Moreover,  if  it 
be  read  carefully,  and  without  yielding  to  the 
common  traditional  prejudice  against  Mac- 
chiavelli,  it  will  be  found  that  the  principles 
advocated  and  the  theories  suggested  are  by 
no  means  so  different  from  those  of  modern 
politics  as  might  be  supposed.  I am  not 
sure  that  a modern  popular  translation  of 
the  Principe,  published  under  another  title 
and  without  the  author’s  name,  might  not  be 
read  with  great  interest  and  profit  to  them- 
selves, if  not  to  others,  by  the  politicians  and 
diplomatists  of  our  own  times.  The  conclud- 
ing passionate  exhortation  to  liberate  Italy 
from  the  rule  of  strangers  naturally  endears  the 
work  to  all  patriotic  Italians.  The  masterly 
style  in  which  the  work  is  composed,  and  the 
vast  culture  and  learning  it  displays,  would 
alone  give  it  a foremost  place  in  literature. 


xxvii 


Address  of  Marion  C^-awford 


To  proceed  even  with  such  summary 
sketches  of  the  great  men  whose  books  ap- 
pear in  this  beautiful  collection  would  lead 
me  too  far.  The  names  of  Aretino,  Castigli- 
one,  Pulci,  Ariosto,  Tasso,  Giordano  Bruno, 
Galileo,  and  Sarpi  would  lead  to  a whole 
volume  of  interesting  reflections.  Here  are 
the  works  of  Bembo,  poet,  scholar,  theolo- 
gian, and  historian,  who  dominated  Italian 
literature  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Here 
is  his  own  copy  of  one  of  his  works,  with 
notes  in  his  own  handwriting.  Few  realize 
the  vast  scope  and  reach  of  Italian  literature 
between  1300  and  1700.  I do  not  hesitate 
to  say  that  in  value,  and  probably  in  extent, 
it  comes  next  to  the  literature  of  the  English 
language,  if  it  does  not  equal  it,  and  it  cer- 
tainly surpasses  that  of  France  and  Germany 
during  the  same  time.  It  is  of  no  use  to  in- 
quire into  the  causes  of  the  literary  inactiv- 
ity which  succeeded  such  an  extraordinary 
period  of  production.  We  may  suppose  that 
countries,  like  writers  themselves,  need  inter- 
vals of  intellectual  rest  after  each  new  de- 
velopment and  expression  of  thought,  and  if 
this  is  the  case  Italy  has  certainly  earned  her 
holiday.  One  is  perhaps  tempted  to  claim 
too  much  for  her,  and  yet  a vast  deal  may  be 
claimed  justly.  For  a longtime  she  held  the 
xxviii 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 

lead  in  literature,  in  painting,  in  architecture, 
and  in  engineering,  and  she  still  shows  a vi- 
tality of  invention  which  many  younger  coun- 
tries might  envy. 

Of  her  modern  literature  it  is  not  yet  time 
to  speak,  and  it  has  apparently  become  a 
canon  law  of  our  profession  that  no  author 
shall  speak  of  his  living  contemporaries  ex- 
cept in  terms  of  the  highest  praise.  I came 
before  you  to  talk  of  old  books  and  of  old 
writers,  and  I have  tried  to  do  so. 

The  collection  of  original  and  early  edi- 
tions of  Italian  books  which  we  see  exhibited 
here,  and  about  which  I have  had  the  honor 
to  speak,  is  one  of  the  most  complete  private 
collections  in  the  world.  The  number  of 
rare  first  editions  it  contains  is  truly  surpris- 
ing, and  it  is  enriched  by  several  precious 
manuscripts.  It  contains  not  a single  vol- 
ume which  could  be  spared,  and  few  that  the 
possessor  would  care  to  exchange  for  a du- 
plicate. The  gathering  of  such  a collection 
means  love,  learning,  and  labor,  the  triplicity 
which  in  Art  stands  for  Faith,  Hope,  and 
Charity.  The  generous  giver  who  is  about 
to  bestow  this  precious  library  upon  Wellesley 
College  has  labored  with  hands  of  love,  and 
he  has  labored  long.  Even  in  our  time  there 
are  some  things  which  money  will  neither 


XXIX 


Address  of  Marion  Crawford 


buy  nor  bring.  Money  will  buy  labor. 
Money,  with  the  condition  of  willingness,  will 
help  to  procure  learning.  But  money  will 
not  buy  that  love  of  good  and  beautiful  things 
which,  with  labor  and  learning,  brings  forth 
new  things  both  beautiful  and  good.  For 
my  own  part,  when  I view  this  rich  and  rare 
collection,  I am  inclined  to  esteem  the  love 
of  the  subject  which  produced  it  even  more 
highly  than  I value  the  books  themselves. 

Marion  Crawford. 


XXX 


Introduction 


If  Italy  was  late  in  developing  a national 
literature,  it  was  because  she  regarded  the 
Latin  language  as  her  own  peculiar  heritage. 
Latin  was  the  lingua  aulica^  the  volgare  being 
fit  only  for  every-day  life. 

With  the  persecution  of  the  Albigenses  Pro- 
vengal  troubadours  took  refuge  in  Italy,  es- 
pecially at  the  Sicilian  court  of  Frederick  II, 
where  the  ballad  and  the  serventese  were 
cultivated  by  the  king  and  courtiers.  This 
school  fell  with  its  patron,  but  its  influence 
lived.  In  the  last  decades  of  the  thirteenth 
century  it  inspired  a group  of  young  men  who, 
to  quote  their  leader  : 

“ Practiced  the  sweet  and  gracious  rhymes  of  love  ” 
“ in  the  sweet  new  style.” 

Dante  soon  outstripped  his  companions,  Guido 
xxxi 


Introduction 


Cavalcanti,  Cino  da  Pistoja  and  Dante  da 
Maiano.  In  the  first  century  of  her  literary 
life  Italy  was  favored  in  that  three  master 
minds  of  Tuscan  birth  took  its  dialect  and 
rendered  it  capable  of  expressing  every  emo- 
tion : Dante,  with  his  epic,  Petrarch,  with  his 
lyrics  and  Boccaccio,  with  his  prose  fiction. 

The  impulse  given  to  classical  study  by 
Petrarch,  followed  by  the  introduction  of 
Greek  learning  into  Italy  subsequent  to  the 
fall  of  Constantinople,  was  fostered  by  the 
wealthy,  and  by  none  more  intelligently  than 
by  Cosimo  de’  Medici  and  his  brilliant  grand- 
son, Lorenzo.  At  their  villa  of  Careggi  gath- 
ered the  Platonic  Academy,  with  Poliziano, 
Ficino  and  the  young  Count  Pico  as  leaders. 
To  Careggi  came  Savonarola  to  exhort  in 
vain  at  the  owner’s  death-bed,  and  toward 

Careggi  looked  the  young  Machiavelli  while 
\ 

preparing  “ to  temper  the  sword  of  tyrants.” 

With  the  sixteenth  century  classicism  and 
dilettantism  are  at  their  height.  The  versa- 


xxxii 


Introduction 


tile  Cardinal  Bembo  is  their  characteristic  ex- 
ponent, the  notorious  Pietro  Aretino  their 
worst.  One  masterpiece,  however,  does  ap- 
pear in  this  age  — Ariosto’s  Orlando  Furioso. 
The  deeds  of  Charlemagne  and  his  paladins 
exercised  a strange  fascination  on  the  Italian 
imagination.  The  Reali  di  Francia  is  lis- 
tened to  as  eagerly  to-day  in  Mulberry  Bend 
as  it  was  seven  hundred  years  ago  in  the 
market-places  of  Florence  or  Palermo.  Of 
the  paladins  Roland  is  the  favorite.  He  is 
the  hero  of  La  Spagna  and  La  Rotta  di 
Roncisvalle.  The  flippant  Pulci  entertained 
Lorenzo  de’  Medici  and  his  mother  with 
his  deeds,  and  the  grave  Boiardo  edified  the 
court  of  Ferrara  with  his  love  for  Angelica. 
Boiardo’s  work  was  left  unfinished ; Berni 
sought  to  improve  upon  it  and  almost  lost 
sight  of  the  original.  Several  wished  to  con- 
tinue the  interrupted  work,  among  these 
Ariosto,  who  alone  produced  a masterpiece. 
Such  was  the  immediate  popularity  of  the 


XXXlll 


Introdnctio?i 


Orlando  Furioso  that  each  of  its  characters 
became  the  hero  of  some  more  or  less  unin- 
teresting poem.  The  reaction  against  this 
fashion  appears  in  such  burlesques  as  Tas- 
soni’s  Secchia  Rapita  and,  in  lofty  vein, 
Tasso’s  Gerusalemme  Liberata. 

After  Tasso  comes  a rapid  decline  in  liter- 
ary production.  Despotic  rule  and  the  In- 
quisition were  not  conducive  to  free  expres- 
sion, and  the  better  minds  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  Bruno,  Sarpi,  and  Galileo, 
succumbed. 

Margaret  H.  Jackson. 


xxxiv 


List  of  Facsimiles 


Alamanni,  Luigi, 

Op  ere  Toscane^  1532 4 

Ariosto,  Lodovico, 

Orla^ido  Furioso^  1526 ii 

Bembo,  Pietro, 

Gli  Asolani,  1515 15 

Boccaccio,  Giovanni, 

De  Montibus,  MS.  of  the  XVth  cent.  . 31 

Boccaccio,  Giovanni, 

De  Montibus,  1473 33 

Boccaccio,  Giovanni, 

Opera  fsso'i) 34 

Bracciolini,  lacopo  di  Poggio, 

Historia,  1547 40 

Castiglione,  Baldassare, 

II  Libro  del  Cortegiano,  1528  . . . 45 

Cellini,  Benvenuto, 

Due  Trattati,  1568 47 

Colonna,  Vittoria, 

Rune,  1539 50 

XXXV 


List  of  Facsimiles 


Dante  Alighieri, 

Convivio,  1490 54 

Giraldi,  Giovanni  Battista  (Cinthio), 

De  Gli  Hecatommithi,  1565  . . . . 63 

Guerino  il  Meschino, 65 

Latini,  Brunetto, 

Retorica^  1546 66 

Machiavelli,  Niccolo, 

Historie,  1550 69 

Medici,  Lorenzo  de’, 

Poesie  Volgari,  1554 72 

Petrarca,  Francesco, 

Le  Cose  Volgari,  1501 77 

Savonarola,  Girolamo, 

Prediche^  1528 86 

Savonarola,  Girolamo, 

Expositione  del  Pater  noster^  1494  • • 88 

Tasso,  Torquato, 

Gierusalemme  Liberata,  1581  . . , 93 


xxxvi 


Original  and  Early 
Editions  of  Italian  Books 


For  the  material  used  as  the  basis  of  this 
catalogue  the  Club  is  indebted  to 
Mr.  Joseph  Martini. 


Original  and  Early 
Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Alamanni,  Luigi,  statesman  and  poet,  was 
born  at  Florence  in  1495.  Having  taken  part  in  an 
unsuccessful  conspiracy  against  Giulio  de’  Medici, 
afterwards  Pope  Clement  VII,  he  was  obliged  to  seek 
refuge  in  Venice  and  afterwards  to  flee  to  France. 
When  Florence  shook  off  the  papal  yoke  Alamanni 
returned  and  took  a prominent  part  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  affairs  of  the  republic.  On  the  restoration 
of  the  Medici  in  1530  he  again  took  refuge  in  France, 
where  he  composed  the  greater  part  of  his  works. 
In  Francis  I he  found  a liberal  patron,  and  was  sent 
by  him  as  ambassador  to  Charles  V after  the  peace 
of  Crespi  in  1544.  Upon  the  death  of  Francis  he 
was  patronized  by  Henry  II,  who  sent  him  as  ambas- 
sador to  Genoa.  He  died  at  Amboise,  April  18, 
1556.  His  poems  are  distinguished  by  the  purity  and 
excellence  of  their  style.  Through  Sir  Thomas  Wyatt, 
who  imitated  him,  he  exerted  an  influence  upon  Eng- 
lish poetry. 

I Opere  Tosca  | Ne  Di  Lvigi  Alaman  | Ni 
A1  Christianis  | Simo  Re  | Francesco  | 


3 


OPERE  TOSCA 


NE  DI  EVIGI  ALAMAN 
NI  AL  CHRISTIANIS 
S I M O re' 
FRANCESCO 


NVTRISCO,  ESTINGVO. 


sovr'  ogni  vso  mortal. 
M’  e'  d a T O ALBER  G O. 

SEBAST.  GRYPHIVS 
EXCVDEBAT 
L V G D. 

TTjT 

CON  PRIVItEG!. 

[ No.  I ] 


P R I M O, 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Primo.  ^Printer's  7nark\  Sebast.  Gryphivs 
I Excvdebat  | Lvgd.  | 1532  (-33)  | Con 
Privilegi. 

Octavo.  Two  volumes. 

The  first  edition. 

The  early  editions  of  the  Opere  Toscane  are  very 
scarce.  Niccolo  Franco  asserts  that  Pope  Clement 
VII  ordered  all  the  copies  which  appeared  in  Rome 
to  be  burned  because  of  seditious  teachings ; but  this 
is  undoubtedly  a mistake,  since  the  edition  of  Lyons 
bears  the  imprint : Con  priuilegio  della  Santita  di 
N.  S.  P.  P.  Clemente  VII.  It  is  more  credible,  as 
Manni  asserts,  that  the  Florentine  booksellers  were 
condemned  to  pay  fines  for  the  sale  of  the  work. 


2 La  Coltivatione  Di  | Lvigi  Alamanni  A1  | 
Christianissimo  Re  | Francesco  Primo.  | 
[Printer's  mark\  Stampato  in  Parigi  da 
Ruberto  Stephano  | Regio  Stampatore.  | 
M.D.XLVI.  I Con  Privilegi. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

This  didactic  poem  on  agriculture,  written  in  blank 
verse  {versi  sciolti),  is  Alamanni’s  chief  work,  and 
Ginguene,  in  his  Hisioire  de  la  litterature  en  Italie, 
says  that  the  Coltivazione  abounds  in  elegant  imita- 
tions of  Virgil’s  Georgies,  and  in  true  and  poetical 
descriptions  of  the  rural  beauties  of  Italy  and  France. 

Garnett  calls  it  an  excellent  example  “of  the  de- 
scription of  poetry  which  owes  most  to  artifice  and 
least  to  inspiration.” 


5 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

3 Gyrone  II  Cortese  Di  | Lvigi  Alamanni 
A1  I Christianissimo,  Et  | Invittissimo  Re 
Arri-  | Go  Secondo.  | [Printer's  marJz\ 
Stampato  in  Parigi  da  Rinaldo  Calderio,  | 
Et  Claudio  suo  figliuolo.  | Con  Privilegi. — 
(^Colophon)  Stampato  in  Parigi,  I’Anno 
1548  I Con  Priuilegi  per  X.  Anni. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

The  Girone  was  written  in  imitation  of  the  success- 
ful Orlando  Furioso  of  Ariosto.  It  is,  according  to 
Ginguen^,  “ a very  dignified,  very  rational,  and  gen- 
erally well-written  poem,  but  cold  and  consequently 
somewhat  tiresome.” 


4 La  I Avarchide  | Del  S.  Lvigi  Alamanni,  | 
Gentilhuomo  Fiorentino,  | . . . [Printer's 
mark\  In  Firenze  | Nella  Stamp eria  di 
Filippo  Giunti,  | e Fratelli.  MDLXX. 
Quarto.  Portrait. 

The  first  edition. 

The  poem  is  taken  from  the  romances  of  the  Round 
Table^  and  tells  of  Lancelot’s  anger  against  King 
Arthur  at  the  siege  of  Avaricum  (Bourges). 


Alberti,  Leone  Battista,  distinguished  as  a 

painter,  poet,  philosopher,  musician,  and  especially 
as  an  architect,  was  born  at  Venice  about  1404.  He 
died  at  Rome  in  1472  or  1484. 

6 


Original  a?id  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

5 Hecatomphila  | Di  Messer  Leon  | Battista 
Alberto  Firentino,  ne  | laquale  ne  insegna 
lingenio  | sa  arte  d’amore,  mostran  | done 
il  perito  modo  | d’amare,  one  di  sem  | pij, 
et  rozzi,  sag  | gi,  et  gentili  | ne  fa  di-  | 
uenire.  j M.D.XXXIIII.  {Venice.\ 

Octavo. 

A curious  work  on  the  deportment  of  young  ladies. 

AragOna,  Tullia  d’,  the  daughter  of  a courtezan 
called  Giulia  Campana,  was  born  between  1505  and 
1510,  and  lived  during  her  youth  at  Rome;  later  she 
accompanied  her  mother  to  Siena,  where  she  learned, 
says  Mutio,  ad  essere  virtiiosa  e a parlare  senese. 
Coming  back  to  Rome,  she  was  introduced  to  the 
world  of  the  courtezan,  where  she  was  surrounded  by 
many  admirers,  among  them  Paolo  Emilio  Orsini, 
who,  being  rejected  by  her,  contrived  to  drive  her 
from  the  city.  The  rest  of  her  adventurous  life  was 
spent  in  Venice,  Ferrara,  and  Florence.  She  attracted 
to  herself,  wherever  she  went,  the  most  prominent 
men  of  the  time,  writers,  soldiers,  and  the  nobility, 
but  she  died  finally,  forsaken  by  all,  in  1556.  Tullia 
d’Aragona  resembled  the  courtezans  of  ancient 
Greece  who  were  ennobled  by  poetry  and  spiritual 
endowments.  For  twenty  years  she  gained  the  at- 
tention of  her  contemporaries,  and  her  fame  is  that 
of  one  of  the  chief  women  writers  of  Italy. 

6 II  Meschino,  | Altramente  Detto  | II 
Gverrino,  | Fatto  In  Ottava  Rima  | Dal- 
la  Signora  Tvllia  | D’Aragona.  | Opera, 

7 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Nella  Qvale  Si  Veggono  | & intendono  le 
parti  principali  di  tutto  il  mondo,  | & 
molte  altre  diletteuolissime  cose,  da  esser  | 
sommamente  care  ad  ogni  sorte  di  | per- 
sona di  bello  ingegno.  | Con  Privilegio.  | 
\Printefs  7nark\  In  Venetia,  | Appresso 
Gio.  Battista,  Et  Melchior  | Sessa,  Fratelii. 
M.D.LX. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

The  subject  of  the  poem  is  taken  from  a Spanish 
romance,  which  has  never  been  printed,  and,  very 
likely,  is  now  lost. 


Aretino,  Pietro,  was  born  about  1492  at  Arezzo, 
from  which  place  he  took  his  name.  He  received 
only  a slight  education,  and  lived  for  some  years  poor 
and  neglected,  picking  up  such  scraps  of  information 
as  he  could.  When  very  young,  being  banished 
from  Arezzo  on  account  of  a satirical  sonnet  on  in- 
dulgences, he  went  to  Perugia,  where  for  some  time 
he  worked  as  a bookbinder,  and  continued  to  dis- 
tinguish himself  by  his  daring  attacks  upon  religion. 
After  some  years’  wandering  through  various  parts  of 
Italy  he  reached  Rome,  where  his  talents  commended 
him  to  the  Papal  Court.  This  favor,  however,  he  lost 
in  1524  by  writing  a set  of  obscene  sonnets  to  ac- 
company a series  of  drawings  by  Giulio  Romano  and 
engraved  by  Marcantonio  Raimondi.  He  left  Rome 
and  was  received  by  Giovanni  de’  Medici,  who  took 
him  to  Milan  and  introduced  him  to  Francis  I,  into 
whose  good  graces  he  soon  ingratiated  himself. 

8 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


Shortly  afterwards  Aretino  attempted  to  regain  the 
favor  of  the  Pope,  but  failing  in  this,  he  returned  to 
Giovanni  de’  Medici.  On  the  death  of  the  latter,  in 
December,  1526,  he  withdrew  to  Venice,  where  he 
afterwards  continued  to  reside,  employed  in  writing 
comedies,  sonnets,  licentious  dialogues,  and  a few 
religious  works.  He  died  in  1557,  according  to 
some  accounts,  by  falling  from  his  chair  in  a fit  of 
laughter  caused  by  hearing  an  indecent  story  about 
his  sisters.  The  reputation  of  Aretino  in  his  own 
time  rested  chiefly  on  his  satirical  sonnets  or  bur- 
lesques ; but  his  comedies,  five  in  number,  are  now 
considered  the  best  of  his  works.  His  letters,  of 
which  a great  number  have  been  printed,  are  also 
commended  for  their  style. 


7 La  I Sirena,  | Marfisa,  | & | Angelica  | 
Poemetti  | Di  Partenio  Etiro,  | Con- 
secrati  | AIF  Illvstr"}®  Sig?  | II  Si- 
gnor I Giorgio  Foscarini.  | In  Venetia, 
MDCXXX.  I Presso  Marco  Ginammi.  | 
Con  Licenza  de’  Sup.  et  Priuilegio. 

Duodecimo. 

These  poems  had  already  been  printed  in  part,  and 
several  times. 


8 La  Vita  Di  Catheri-  | Na  Vergine 
Composta  | Per  M.  Pietro  | Aretino.  | 
.MDXXXXI. 

Octavo.  Portrait. 

9 


Original  and  Early  Editio?is  of  Italian  Books 

The  fourth  edition,  probably  printed  at  Venice  by 
Niccolini  da  Sabio. 

Aretino,  who  from  time  to  time  published  religious 
works  to  drain  the  pious  of  their  money,  wrote 
this  work  at  the  request  of  the  Marquis  del  Vasto. 

9 La  Vita  Di  Maria  | Vergine  Di  Messer  | 
Pietro  Are-  | Tino.  | Nuouamente  corretta 
e ristampata. 

Octavo.  Portrait. 

The  second  edition,  printed  at  Venice  by  Niccolini 
da  Sabio,  about  1540  or  1541. 

Ariosto,  Lodovico,  the  greatest  poet  of  Italy 
after  Dante  and  Petrarch,  was  born  at  Reggio  (Emi- 
lia), September  8,  1474;  he  died  at  Ferrara,  June  6, 
1533- 

10  Orlatido  Furioso  | Di  Ludouico  Ariosto 
Nobile  I Ferrarese:  Nouamente  ri-  | stam- 
pato : & con  molta  | diligentia  ricorret-  | 
to:  & quasi  tut-  | to  reforma  | to.  | 
M.D.XXVI. — {^Colophon)  Finisse  Orlando 
Furioso  di  Messer  Ludouico  | Ariosto  da 
Ferrara:  nouamente  con  gran  | diligentia 
riformato  & ricorretto : | Stampato  nella 
Inclyta  Citta  di  | Vinegia,  Del  Mese  di 
Mar  I zo.  M.D.XXVI. 

Quarto. 


10 


k- 

j S 8 

^ rlando  IFnriofo 

Di  Ladouico  Ario  flo  Nobile 
Fertatde : Nouatnenre  ti/ 
ftampacotSc  coo  molta 
diligentia  ricorret/ 
to:£Cqu^  tut/ 
tofeforma 
to* 

BO 

NO 

w 

m*d.xxvi* 

99 

A 

j i 

MA 

LV 

IVL 

[ No.  lo  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Sixth  edition,  unknown  until  the  year  1821,  when 
Melzi  for  the  first  time  described  it.  Only  two  copies 
are  known. 

Ariosto  began  to  write  his  great  poem  about  1503* 
and,  after  having  consulted  the  first  men  of  his  age, 
published  it  in  1516.  Up  to  the  moment  of  his  death 
he  never  ceased  to  correct  and  improve  both  the  sub- 
ject and  the  style.  He  adopted  the  plots  of  Boiardo’s 
Orlando  Innamorato^  “continued  the  story  where  he 
left  it  and  brought  it  to  a close ; so  that,  taken  to- 
gether, both  poems  form  one  gigantic  narrative  of 
about  100,000  lines  which  has  for  its  main  subject 
the  love  and  marriage  of  Ruggiero  and  Bradamante.” 

11  Orlando  | Fvrioso  | Di  M.  | Lodovico  | 
Ariosto  I Nuouamente  | adornato  di  Fi- 
gure di  Rame  | da  Girolamo  Porro.  | 
Padouano.  | . . . In  Venetia|  MDLXXX — 
nil.  I Appresso  Francesco  de  | Fran- 
ceschi  Senese  | e compagni. 

Quarto. 

12  Orlando  | Furioso  | Di  | Lodovico  | 

Ariosto.  I Tomo  Primo.  \Secondo^  Terzo^ 
Quarto\  | Birmingham,  | Da’  Torch]  di 
G.  Baskerville:  | Per  P.  Molini.  [ M. 

DCC.LXXIII. 

Royal  Quarto.  Four  volumes. 

Of  this  edition  only  one  hundred  copies  were  printed. 
It  is  valuable  not  only  for  the  type  and  illustrations, 
but  also,  according  to  Morali,  for  the  accurate  read- 


12 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

ing  of  the  text.  The  poem  is  preceded  by  a life  of 
Ariosto  by  Andrea  Barotti. 

13  Le  Satire  | Di  M.  Lodovico  | Ariosto 
Novissi  I Mamente  Ri-  ] Stampate.  | 
[Frintei'^s  mark\  In  Venetia. 

Octavo. 

Without  printer’s  name  or  date ; but  thought  to  have 
been  printed  by  Bindoni  and  Pasini  about  1535. 
Ariosto’s  Satires  were  not  published  during  his  life- 
time, but  a few  months  after  his  death  they  were  se- 
cretly printed  net  mese  di  Giugno  M.D.  XXXIV.  In 
1535  the  printers  began  to  publish  them  openly. 
Baruffaldi  in  the  Vita  deW  Ariosto  mentions  an  edition 
of  the  year  1533,  but  no  copy  of  it  is  known. 

“ . . . The  great  exemplar  is  Ariosto,  whose  satires 
are  not  the  least  ornament  of  his  poetic  crown,  yield- 
ing little  in  facetious  urbanity  to  his  model  Horace.  ”■ — 
Garnett. 

14  Le  Satire  | Di  M.  Lodovico  | Ariosto 
Stampa  | Te  Novamente,  | con  diligenza 
reuiste,  | etcorrette. — {Colophon)  In  Vene- 
tia per  Alessandro  de  Vian. 

Octavo.  Portrait. 

Printed  about  1535  or  1536. 


Belcari,  Feo,  wasasonofFeodiCoppo  (Jacopo) 
Belcari,  and  flourished  at  Florence  about  1450.  He 
died  August  16,  1454.  He  wrote  several  Laiidi  and 
some  Rappresentazioni sacre  (Mysteries). 

13 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

15  La  Vita  Del  | Beato  Giovanni  Colom  | 
Bini  Da  Siena,  Fonda  | Tore  Dell’  Or- 
dine  | De  Poveri  Giesva  | Ti,  Composta  | 
Per  Feo  Bel-  | Cari  | E Da  Lvi  Dedica- 
taAl  Ma-  | Gnifico  Giovanni  Di  | Cosimo 
De’  Medici.  | Et  Inoltre  Vn’  Opera  Nel  | 
La  Qvale  Si  Contiene  Par  | Te  Della  Vita 
D’Alcvni  I Servi  Di  Giesv  Cristo  | E Qvali 
Fvrono  Nel  | La  Compagnia  Di  | Detti 
Poveri  | Giesvati. — ( Colophon)  Impresso 
in  Siena  per  Calisto,  Francesco  di  Simione 
Bindi.  I A Di.  XXVII.  d’Ottobre.  M.D. 
XLI.  I Ad  Instantia  d [sic)  Giouanni  di 
Alisandro  Libraio. 

Quarto. 

Third  edition;  the  first  was  printed  at  Florence  by 
Nicholaus  Florentiae  {JVicold  di  Lorenzo  della  Magna) 
about  1480-86. 

Bembo,  Pietro,  was  born  at  Venice,  May  20, 
1470.  He  studied  Greek  under  Lascaris,  and  sub- 
sequently became  a member  of  the  Academy  of 
Aldus  Manutius.  In  1512  he  went  to  Rome,  where 
Leo  X made  him  his  private  secretary  and  bestowed 
upon  him  numerous  signs  of  his  favor.  After  the 
death  of  Leo  he  retired  to  Padua,  where  he  lived  for 
a number  of  years,  engaged  in  literary  labors,  and 
where  he  formed  his  valuable  library.  He  was 
created  a cardinal  by  Paul  III  in  1539,  and,  going 
back  to  Rome,  he  renounced  the  study  of  classical 
literature  and  devoted  himself  to  theology  and  his- 


14 


vrwfff  j ritwmre ; et  aperti  quegUocchi , che  m quejh  <t$ 
mino  fi  ch'miono  , tnirdre  con  elJi  quella  mejfkbile  beU 
, di  cui  fono  armnts  fia  doles  meres  huon  tern 
fo  \ et  hoTd  perche  io  mcchio  fid  ^ come  m mi  uedi  j slid 
non  mhd.  perd&  mno , che  m altra  eta. , cstro : ne  mi  ri= 
filter  a j perche  h S mfi  grojjo  panno  uefhto  le  udid 
inmnl^  • (\mntun^m  neio  con  quejh  panno  u am 
drQytw  tu  con  quello  uahdraiine  altro  di  quejh  luoghi 
f porta  dlcuno  feat  dipdttendof  , che  gli  fnoi  amcri : 
Equali  fono  jht%  di  quefv  belle:^ , che  qna  jB  = 
no  y perdo  che  effe  cold  fr  non  fagliono  ,rm  rman^no 
alia  terra  di  cm  (bno  figliuole ejf  a tormentanoyf  c&^ 
me  hord  d fogliono  qmgli  difii  tornwntare , deqmll 
dere  non  f puo  m rmlto  m pom  : Se  [bno  di  quelle  di 
id  fu  fan]  ejf  marmiglwfamente  a trafuUdno  ypofaa 
che  dd  effe  peruemti  piamments  ne  ^diamo  • Ma 
perdo  che  quslU  dimora  e fempiterna  ] ft  dee  credere 
I^mmelio , che  hmno  Amore  fa  quello^  delquale  gvde=: 
re  f puo  etermmenie  3 et  reo  quell' altro , che  etsrmmen 
ts  d condannd  a dolere  • C^uefe  cofi  ra^onds 

tern  dal  fanio  hmtm  3 perdo  che  tempo  era , che  io  mi 
diparnff  3 ejjb  m licenuo  • llche  pofda  che  hebbe  ditto 
j.<mmllo]d  fioi  ragonamenn  pofe  fine  • 


I mpreff  in  Yemna  nelle  cafe  d' Aide  Komano  ml  an^ 
. M D Y • dd  mfe  di  Udt^  3 Con  la  conceffione 
deild  lUufnjftm  Signoru  mfra  3 che  per  • x • 
dnrtl  m luoghi  al  Yemtidno  "Domino  fhtto- 
fopi  mffu  no  altro  gU  pofjk  mpri 
men,  0 mpreffi  u>endere^ 
fottv  ie  pem  y che 
m lei  fi  con 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

tory.  He  died  January  i8,  1547.  His  writings  are 
characterized  by  great  elegance  of  style. 

“Never  since  Petrarch’s  day  had  the  sceptre  of 
Italian  literature  rested  so  unequivocally  in  one  hand 
as  in  Pietro  Bembo’s.” — Garnett. 

16  Gli  Asolani  Di  Messer  | Pietro  Bembo. — 
(^Colophon)  Impressi  in  Venetia  nelle  Case 
d’Aldo  Romano  nel  an-  | no.  MDV.  del 
mese  di  Marzo ; Con  la  concessione  | della 
Illustrissima  Signoria  nostra ; che  per.  X.  | 
anni  ne  luoghi  al  Venetian©  Dominio 
sotto-  I posti  nessuno  altro  gli  possa  impri  | 
mere,  o impressi  uendere,  | sotto  le  pene, 
che  I in  lei  si  con  | tengo-  | no. 

Octavo, 

The  first  edition.  This  copy  contains  the  dedication 
to  Lucrezia  Borgia,  which  is  missing  in  many.  The 
letter  to  Lucrezia,  Pope  Alexander  VPs  daughter 
and  Duke  Alfonso  of  Este’s  wife,  is  insignificant  in 
itself,  but  the  controversies  between  Alfonso  of 
Este  and  Pope  Julius  II  probably  induced  Bembo 
and  Aldus  to  suppress  a compliment  paid  to  the  wife 
of  a prince  who  was  an  enemy  of  the  Pope.  The 
present  copy  bears  on  the  first  page  of  the  text  some 
emendations  in  Bembo’s  hand. 

The  Asolani  was  written  when  Bembo  was 
twenty-eight  years  old.  It  is  a disquisition  on  Love, 
from  different  points  of  view,  composed  in  imitation 
of  Cicero’s  Tusculan  Questions.  Its  chief  impor- 
tance comes  from  the  fact  that  it  was  influential  in 
reviving  the  practice  of  Italian  composition. 

16 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

“Seldom,  however,  have  commonplaces  been  set 
off  with  such  harmony  and  polish  of  style,  or  with 
more  ingenious  eloquence.” — Garnett. 

17  Rime  Di  M.  Pietro  | Bembo. — {Colofhon) 
Stampate  in  Vinegia  per  Maestro  Giouan 
An-  I tonio  et  Fratelli  da  Sabbio.  Nell’ 
anno  M.D.  | XXX.  Con  le  concessioni  de 
tutti  i Principi  | de  1’ Italia  che  altri  stam- 
par  non  le  possa,  ne  | uendere. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition.  A copy  printed  on  large  paper. 

According  to  Gabriel  Giolito  de’  Ferrari,  Bembo’ s 
Rime  rank  second  only  to  those  of  Petrarch. 

18  Della  Historia  | Vinitiana  Di  M.  Pietro  | 
Bembo  Card.  Volgar-  | Mente  Scritta.  | 
Libri  XII.  | [Printer's  mark\  Con  Privi- 
lege. I In  Vinegia  M.D.LII. — {^Colophon) 
In  Vinegia  Appresso  Gualtero  Scotto.  | 
M.D.LII. 

Quarto. 

First  edition  of  the  translation.  Bembo  had  written 
the  history  of  Venice  in  Latin  (Venice,  Aldus,  1551) ; 
and  from  the  printer’s  dedication  to  Isabella  Quirina, 
we  learn  that  he  translated  it  at  the  request  of  that 
illustrious  lady.  The  author’s  life  is  ascribed  to 
Giovanni  Della  Casa. 

19  Prose  Di.  M.  Pietro  Bembo  | Nelle  Qvali 
Si  Ragiona  Del-  | La  Volgar  Lingva 

17 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Scritte  | A1  Cardinale  De  Medici  Che  | 
Poi  E Stato  Create  A Som-  | Mo  Ponte- 
fice  Et  Detto  Pa-  | Pa  Clemente  Settimo 
Divise  | In  Tre  Libri. — {^Colophon)  Im- 
presse  in  Vinegia  per  Giouan  Tacuino,  nel 
mese  di  Set-  | tembre  del  M.D.XXV.  Con 
priuilegio  di  Papa  Cle-  | mente,  et  del 
Senate  di  questa  Citta,  . . . 

Folio. 

The  first  edition.  Bembo  employed  about  twenty 
years  in  writing  and  perfecting  this  work. 

20  Delle  Lettere  Di  M.  Pietro  Bembo  | Prime 
Volvme. — {Colophon)  Stampate  in  Roma 
per  Valerio  Dorico  et  Luigi  fra-  | telli, 
Nel  Mese  di  Settembre.  M.D.XLVIII. 

1-  • • 

Quarto. 

First  edition,  dedicated  by  the  publisher  Carlo  Gual- 
teruzzi,  to  Cardinal  Guido  Ascanio  Sforza.  It  forms 
the  first  volume  of  Bembo’s  letters  ; the  second  was 
printed  at  Venice  by  Figlioli  di  Aldo  in  1550;  the 
third  and  fourth  at  Venice  by  Scotto  in  1552.  Scotto 
also  reprinted  the  first  and  second  volumes. 

“These  may  still  be  read  with  profit  by  students 
for  the  light  they  cast  upon  Italian  society  during  the 
first  half  of  the  cinque  cento,  and  with  pleasure  by 
all  who  can  appreciate  the  courtesies  of  refined  breed- 
ing, expressed  in  language  of  fastidious  delicacy.” 

Symonds. 


18 


Original  and  Early  Editio?is  of  Italian  Books 

21  Nvove  I Lettere  Famigliari  | Di  M.  Pietro 
Bembo  | Scritte  | A M.  Gio.  Mattheo 
Bembo  j Svo  Nipote  j . . . \Printer's 
mark\  In  Venetia,  Appresso  Francesco  | 
Rampazetto.  MDLXIIII. 

Octavo. 

The  first  edition.  These  letters  were  published  by 
Francesco  Sansovino,  who  dedicated  them  to  Guido- 
baldo  della  Rovere,  Duke  of  Urbino. 


Benivieni,  Girolamo,  was  bom  at  Florence 
about  1453,  and  died  in  1542.  He  was  a friend  of 
Marsilio  Ficino,  Giovanni  Pico  della  Mirandola,  who 
wrote  this  commentary  on  the  song  DelV  Amor  di 
Dio,  and  of  Girolamo  Savonarola.  The  subject  of 
Benivieni’s  poetry  is  the  Divine  Love,  which  implies 
also  the  Platonic  philosophy. 

2 2 Opere  Di  Girolamo  Be-  | niuieni  Fioren- 
tino  nouissimamente  ri-  [sic)  | uedute  et  da 
molti  errori  espurgate  | con  una  canzona 
dello  Amor  cele  | ste  et  diuino,  col  com- 
mento  del  | lo  111.  S.  Conte  Giouanni.  | 
Pico  Mirandolano  distin-  | to  in  Libbri. 
III.  et  I altre  Frottole  | de  diuersi  | Aut- 
tori.- — [Colophon)  Stampato  in  Venegia 
per  Gregorio  de  | Gregori,  Nellanno  del 
nostro  Si-  | gnore.  M.CCCCC.XXIIII.  | 
A di.  XXVIII.  de  Aprile. 

Octavo. 

^9 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


The  third  edition. 

This  book  contains  eclogues,  songs,  sonnets,  Laudi 
spirituali,  Frottole,  and  translations  of  the  Bucolics 
of  Moschus,  an  elegy  of  Propertius,  and  a few 
psalms  of  David. 

“ His  verses  might  have  given  him  no  inconsider- 
able distinction  if  he  could  have  attained  to  lucidity 
of  diction ; but  his  powers  of  expression  are  inade- 
quate to  the  abstruseness  of  his  themes.” — Garnett. 


Bentivoglio,  Cardinal  Guido,  the  eminent 

statesman  and  historian,  was  born  at  Ferrara  in  1579, 
and  died  at  Rome,  September  17,  1644,  in  conclave, 
just  as  he  seemed  about  to  be  elected  pope. 


23  Relationi  | Del  | Cardinale  | Bentivoglio 
I Pubblicate  | Da  Erycio  Pvteano  | in  An- 
uersa.  | Ristampate  in  Coloniai63o.  | con 
licenza  de’  Superiori. 

Quarto. 

The  second  edition ; the  first  was  printed  in  Antwerp, 
by  Gio.  Meerbecio,  in  1629. 

The  Relationi  were  written  during  Bentivoglio’s 
nunciature  in  Flanders  and  in  France,  and  contain 
a valuable  account  of  England  during  that  period. 
He  also  wrote  Memorie  overo  Diario  and  Della 
Guerra  di  Fiandra. 

In  these  works  he  shows  himself  a diligent  ob- 
server and  prudent  statesman.  His  style  “is  most 
agreeable,”  and  his  prose  especially  “a  model  of  pure 
and  simple  composition.” 


20 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Berni,  Francesco,  was  bom,  about  the  end  of 
the  XVth  century,  at  Lamporecchio.  At  an  early  age 
he  was  sent  to  Florence,  where  he  remained  until  his 
nineteenth  year,  when  he  went  to  Rome,  trusting  to 
obtain  assistance  from  his  uncle.  Cardinal  Bernardo 
Divizio  da  Bibbiena  ; but  the  Cardinal  soon  after  died 
and  Berni  was  obliged  to  accept  a situation  as  secre- 
tary to  Mgr.  Giberti,  datary  to  Clement  VII.  He 
remained  with  Giberti  until  about  1 530,  when  he  ob- 
tained a canonry  in  the  Cathedral  of  Florence,  where 
he  died.  May  26,  1535,  poisoned,  it  was  said,  by  Duke 
Alessandro  de’  Medici  for  having  refused  to  poison 
the  duke’s  brother,  Cardinal  Ippolito  de’  Medici. 


24  Tvtte  Le  Opere  Del  | Bernia  In  Terza 
Rima,  | Nvovamente  Con  | Somma  Di- 
ligentia  | Stampate.  [Frinteds  fnark]  Per 
CvrtioNavoEtFratelli.  | MD  XXXVIII. 
— {^Colophon)  In  Vinegia  Per  Curtio  | 
Navo  Et  Fratelli.  | M D XXXVIII. 

Octavo. 

Second  edition.  Burlesque  poetry  was  perfected  by 
Berni  and  Mauro,  but  Berni  had  the  fortune  to  give 
it  his  name  {poesia  bernesca).  This  “branch  of  . . . 
literature  . . . belonged  to  Tuscany  and  took  its  origin 
from  the  equivocal  carnival  and  dance  songs  raised 
to  the  dignity  of  art  by  Lorenzo  de’  Medici.  Its 
conventional  meter  was  terza  rhna,  handled  with  ex- 
quisite sense  of  rhythm,  but  degraded  to  low  comedy 
by  the  treatment  of  trivial  or  vulgar  motives.  The 
author  of  these  Capitoli  . . . chose  some  common 
object — a paint-brush,  salad,  a sausage,  peaches. 


21 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

figs,  eels,  radishes  — to  celebrate ; affected  to  be 
inspired  by  the  grandeur  of  his  subject;  . . . and 
almost  invariably  conveyed  an  obscene  meaning  under 
the  form  of  innuendoes  appropriate  to  his  professed 
theme.  ” — Symonds. 

25  Orlando  | Innamorato  Nvova-  | Mente 
composto  I Da  M.  Francesco  | Berni  | 
Fiorentino  | Stampato  in  Vinetia  per  gli 
heredi  di  Lu-  | cantonio  Giunta.  Con 
Priuilegio  dell’  Illustris  | simo  Senato 
Veneto  per  anni.  X.  | M D XXXXI. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition  remodelled  by  Berni.  Berni  under- 
took the  revision  of  the  whole  poem,  avowedly  alter- 
ing no  sentiment,  removing  or  adding  no  incident, 
but  simply  giving  to  each  line  and  stanza  due  grace- 
fulness and  polish  ; and  perhaps  he  owes  his  greatest 
fame  to  this  work.  After  two  editions,  Berni’s  ver- 
sion fell  into  disuse  till  the  end  of  the  XVIIIth  cen- 
tury, when  the  critics  rediscovered  it  and  began  to 
quote  Boiardo’s  poem  under  Berni’s  name,  “treating 
the  real  author  as  an  ignorant  and  uncouth  writer  of 
a barbarous  dialect.” — Symonds. 


Boccaccio,  Giovanni,  was  probably  born  at 
Certaldo,  in  1313,  where  he  died,  December  21, 
1375- 

26  Philostrato  ala  sua  piu  che  oltra  pia  | 
cieuole  filomena  salute  | Molte  fiate  gia 


22 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

nobilissima  donna  a | uiene  che  io  il  quale 
quasi  de  la  mia  pu  | ericia,  infino  a questo 
tenpo  ne  seruigi  da  | more  sono  istato 
ritrouandomi  nela  | sua  corte  . . . {Ends 
at  the  r.  of  f 38,  col.  2:)  Finite  libro  isto 
renouamus  | gratia  christo  amen. 

Folio. 

A manuscript,  on  paper,  of  the  first  half  of  the  XVth 
century. 

“ . . . Here  for  the  first  time  we  find  the  future 
author  of  the  Decameron.  . . . The  Filostrato  must 
undoubtedly  be  reckoned  the  finest  of  his  narratives 
in  verse.” — Symonds. 

In  the  same  manuscript  are  Capitoli,  by  Antonio 
Pucci,  a bell-founder  of  Florence,  and  chief  bell- 
ringer to  the  community,  who  died  sometime  after 
1373.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  cultivate  the  poesia 
burlesca,  afterwards  perfected  by  Berni,  Casa,  and 
others. 

27  Laberinto  D’Amore  Di.  M.  Gio  | Vanni 
Boccaccio  Con  | una  Epistola  a Messer 
Pino  de  Ros  | si  confortatoria  del  me-  | 
desimo  autore. — {Colophon)  Impresso  in 
Firenze  nel?  anno  del  Signore.  M.D.XVI. 

Octavo. 

Without  the  printer’s  name,  but  by  Filippo  Giunta. 


28  Ameto  I Comedia  | Delle  Ninfe  | Fioren- 
tine,  I Di  M.  Giouanni  Boccaccio  | daCer- 

23 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

taldo : I Con  La  Dichiaratione  | de’  luoghi 
difficili  di  I M.  Francesco  Sansovino.  | 
Nuouamente  ristampata,  & con  | diligenza 
ricorretta.  | [Printer'' s mark\  In  Venetia, 
M D XCII.  I Presso  Gio.  Battista  Bonfa- 
dino. 

Duodecimo. 

“The  Ameto  of  Boccaccio  also  possesses  consider- 
erable  importance  in  literary  history,  being  the  first 
well-defined  modern  instance  of  an  important  genre, 
the  pastoral  romance,  afterwards  carried  to  perfection 
by  Sannazaro  and  Montemayor;  and  also  of  a literary 
artifice,  the  interweaving  of  several  stories  to  com- 
pose a whole.” — Garnett. 


29  L’Amorosa  | Fiammetta  Di  | M.Giouanni 
Boccaccio  | nuouamente  per  M.  Lodo-  | 
uico  Dolce  da  ogni  er-  | rore  emendata  | 
Et  Dal  Medesimo  Ag  | giontoui  vna  nuoua 
tauo  I la  delle  cose  degne  | di  memoria.  | 
Con  Gratia  Et  Privilegio.  | In  Venetia  Ap- 
presso  I Gabriel  lolito  de  Ferrarij  | M. 
D.XLII. 

Octavo. 

The  first  edition  of  the  Fiammetta  was  printed  at 
Padua  by  Bartholomseus  Valdezochius  and  Martinus 
de  Septem  Arboribus  in  1472.  This  edition  of  Dolce 
is  the  first  printed  by  Giolito. 

The  Fiammetta,  which  has  very  few  readers  to- 
day, was  almost  as  popular  in  the  XVIth  century  as 


24 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


the  Decameron ; and  many  editions  were  printed, 
most  of  them  by  Giolito,  who  dedicated  this  one: 
“ Alle  gentili  e valorose  donne  di  Casal  Monferrato.  ” 


30  Amorosa  Visione  Di  | M.  Giouan  Boccac- 
cio, nuouamente  ritro  | uata,  nella  quale 
si  contengono  cinque  | Triumphi,  cioe. 
Triumpho  di  Sa-  | pientia,  di  Gloria,  di 
Ricchezza,  | di  Amore,  e di  Fortuna.  | 
Apologia  Di  Gie-  | ronimo  Claricio  Im- 
mol.  contro  De-  | trattori  della  Poesia  del 
Boccaccio.  | Osseruationi  di  uolgar  gram- 
I matica  del  Boccaccio.  | MD  [Boccaccio's 
portrait  engraved  on  wood\  XXXI. — [Colo- 
phon) In  Vinegia  per  Nicolo  d’Aristotile  | 
I detto  Zoppino.  MDXXXI. 

Octavo. 

The  second  edition. 

“It  is  written  in  terza  rima,  and  betrays  an  evident 
ambition  to  imitate  Dante,  while  in  its  turn  it  has 
not  been  without  influence  on  Petrarch’s  Trionfiy — 
Garnett, 


31  II  Decamerone  Di  M.  | Giovanni  Boc-  | 
Caccio. — [Colophon)  Impresso  in  Vinegia 
per  Gregorio  de  Gregori  il  | mese  di  Mag- 
gio  deir  anno.  M.D.XVI.  | Con  Privilegio. 
Quarto. 


25 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


The  first  edition  of  the  Decameron  with  a date  was 
printed  at  Milan  by  Christofal  Valdarfer  in  1471. 

Nicolo  Delfino,  who  published  this  edition,  and 
dedicated  it  to  the  “gentili  e valorose  donne,”  was  the 
first  to  try  to  give  the  Decameron  in  its  entirety;  and 
it  was  used  for  other  editions,  although  the  com- 
mittee appointed  to  expurgate  the  Decameron,  after 
the  Council  of  Trent,  considered  it  to  have  been  the 
work  of  a man  who  knew  little  of  the  Tuscan  lan- 
guage. 


32  II  Decamerone  | Di  Messer  Giovanni  | 
Boccaccio  Nvovamente  Stam  | pato  Et 
Ricorretto  ] per  Antonio  Brvcioli.  | Con 
La  Dichiaratione  Di  Tvtti  I Vo  | caboli, 
detti,  prouerbij,  figure  et  modi  di  dire 
incogniti  | et  difficili,  che  sono  in  esso 
Libro.  I Con  Gratia  Et  Privilegio. — {Colo- 
phon) . . . Stampato  in  Vinegia,  per  Bar- 
tholomeo  Zanetti  | da  Brescia  ad  instan- 
tia  di  Messer  Giovanni  Giolitto  da  Trino.  | 
MDXXXVIII.  Del  mese  d’Aprile. 

Quarto.  Portrait. 

This  is  the  first  edition  by  Brucioli,  a Florentine 
writer,  whose  best-known  works  are  a translation  of 
the  Bible  and  translations  of  Aristotle  and  Cicero. 


33  lohannis  Bocacii  De  Cercaldis  {sic)  His- 
tori-  I Ographi  Prologvs  In  Libros  De 
26 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Casi-  I Bvs  Virorvm  Illvstrivm  Incipit.- — 
{At  the  end)  Finit  liber  Nonus  et  vltimus 
Johannis  Boccacii  | de  certaldo  de  casi- 
bus  virorum  illustrium. 

Folio. 

The  first  edition,  printed  at  Strasburg,  by  Hussner 
and  Beckenhub,  about  1473-75. 

34  La  I Ghismonda  | Del  Boccaccio  | Com- 
posta  In  I Ottava  Rima  | Dal  Sig.  An- 
nibal  Gvasco;  | con  Tistesso  testo  del 
Boccaccio,  et  con  | alcuni  altri  componi- 
menti  dell’  Au-  | tore  fatti  dopo  I’ultimo 
volume  I delle  sue  Rime  | \Printer^s  marJi\ 
In  Pavia,  Appresso  Girolamo  Bartoli, 
1583.  I Con  licenza  de’  Superiori. 

Octavo. 

Annibale  Guasco,  the  translator,  was  born  in  Alessan- 
dria (della  Paglia),  and  died  in  that  town,  February 
4,  1619. 

35  Incomincia  il  libro  primo  di  Florio  & di 
Bian  | zafiore  chiamato  Philocolo  che  tanto 
e adi-  | re  quanto  amorosa  faticha  com- 
posto  per  il  cla  | rissimo  poeta  misser 
loanni  Boccaccio  da  Cer  | taldo  ad  in- 
stantia  de  la  illustre  & generosa  ma  | donna 
Maria  figluola  {sic)  naturale  de  linclito  re  | 
Ruberto. — {Colophon)  Qui  finiscie  il  Philo- 


27 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

colo  con  la  uita  di  | Misser  lohanne  Bo- 
caccio.  Im  | presso  in  Venetia  per  Pe  | 
legrino  pasquale  da  | Bologna  nel.  M.  | 
CCCC.LXXX  I VIII.  adi  | XXIIII.  de- 
cern I brio  Regnante  lin  | clito  Principe 
di  Venetia  | Messer  Augustino  Barbadico. 

Folio, 

The  seventh  edition ; the  first  was  printed  at  Florence, 
by  Magister  iouannes  petri  de  magontia^  1472. 

This,  the  first  prose  work  of  Boccaccio,  was  com- 
posed at  the  command  of  Maria,  daughter  of  King 
Robert  of  Naples.  The  tale  describes  the  romantic 
love  and  adventures  of  Florio  and  Biancafiore,  a fa- 
vorite subject  with  the  knightly  minstrels  of  France 
and  Italy,  and,  although  tedious  in  itself,  it  occupies 
an  important  place  in  Italian  literature,  for  it  marks 
the  transition  from  the  metrical  romance  to  the  pure 
novel. 


36  La  I Theseide  | Di  M.  G.  Boccaccio,  | 
Innamoramento  piaceuole,  | & honesto  di 
due  I Giouani  Thebani  | Arcita,  et  Pale- 
mone ; | D’ottaua  Rima  nuouamente  ri- 
dotta  I In  Prosa  | Per  Nicolao  Granvcci 
Di  Lvcca,  | Aggiuntoui  un  brieue  Dialogo 
nel  principio  e fine  | dell’ Opera  diletteuole, 
& vario.  | In  Lucca  appresso  Vincenzo 
Busdraghi  1579  | Ad  instantia  di  Giulio 
Guidoboni. 

Octavo. 


28 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

“ He  [Boccaccio]  may  not  have  been  the  inventor  of 
the  octave  stanza,  but  undoubtedly  he  was  the  first 
to  show  its  supreme  fitness  for  narrative,  and  thus 
mark  out  the  channel  in  which  the  epic  genius  of 
Italy  has  flowed  ever  since.  . . . Yet  all  the  main 
recommendations  of  the  octave  are  discoverable  in 
his  Teseide  and  Filostrato,  poems  especially  interest- 
ing to  English  readers  from  the  imitation  — fre- 
quently translation — of  them  in  Chaucer’s 
and  TroilusF — Garnett. 

This  is  a prose  version  of  the  poem,  by  Nicolo 
Granucci. 


37  Vita  1 Di  Dante  | Alighieri  | Poeta  Fio- 
rentino,  | Composta  per  Messer  Giouanni 
Boccaccio.  | Con  Priuilegio  di  N.  S.  per 
anni  Dieci.  — [Colophon)  In  Roma.  | Per 
Francesco  Priscianese  Fiorentino  | 1544. 

Octavo. 

Francesco  Priscianese,  the  Florentine  grammarian, 
known  at  Rome  alike  as  publisher  and  printer,  in  the 
dedication  of  the  book  to  Giovan  Lodovico  Pio, 
writes:  “ Eccovi  la  vita  di  Dante,  la  quale  vi  mando 
come  cosa  rara  et  nuoua  et  degna.  ” It  was  really  pub- 
lished for  the  first  time  in  the  Divina  Commedia 
printed  at  Venice  by  Vindelinus  de  Spira  in  1477, 
and  later,  separately,  at  Venice  in  1542. 


38  Libro  Di  M.  Gio.  | Boccaccio  Delle  Don-  | 
ne  Illustri.  tradotto  per  Messer  | Givseppe 
Betvssi.  I Con  Vna  Additione  Fatta  | dal 

29 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

medesimo  delle  donne  famose  dal  tempo 
di  I M.  Giouanni  fino  a i giorni  nostri,  et  | 
alcune  altre  state  per  inanzi,  | Con  La  Vita 
Del  Boccaccio,  | et  laTauola  di  tutte  I’his- 
torie,  et  cose  prin  | cipali,  che  nell’  opra  si 
contengono.  | All’  Illvstriss.  S.  Camilla  | 
Pallauicina  Marchesa  di  Corte  Maggiore.  | 
[Erinter^s  mark\  In  Vinegia.  M DXLV. — 
{^Colophon)  In  Vinegia  Per  Comin  Da  | 
Trino  Di  Monferrato  A | Instanza  Di  M. 
An-  I Drea  Arrivabene  | A1  Segno  Del  | 
Pozzo.  I Con  Gratia  Et  Privilegio.  | M 
D XLV. 

Octavo. 

This  is  the  second  Italian  edition;  the  first  was 
printed  at  Venice  by  Zuanne  da  Trino  in  1506,  the 
translator  being  Vincenzo  da  Bagli.  The  first  trans- 
lation of  De  Claris  Mulieribus  was  by  Maestro  Donato 
da  Cesentino. 

39  lohannis  bocatij  de  certaldo  de  montibus. 
siluis.  fon  | tibus.  lacubus.  fluminibus.  sta- 
gnis.  seu  paludibus.  | et  mari.  liber  incipit  & 
primo  de  montibus. — Ends:  . . . bonitati  | 
et  doctrine  adscribatur  sue.  finis  | laus  tibi 
christe  quum  liber  explicit  iste  Amen. 

Quarto. 

Manuscript,  on  vellum,  of  the  first  half  of  the  XVth 
century. 


30 


ihuf 


Johdrrrunx^aiaf  decer^jJdo  dc  maryahuf  Aluiffyn 
ttlyut  t^cuhuC  flumtrnhuC  Std^if  fett  ^alttdjl^ 
et  TTfAri  Uher  maptf  GCjmmo  de  mcnah^, 

c<jw4ctn  ibWc  <|iw<J4  cgte 

po  ct  alKjijisli  ono  litres  rdfeuratst  cw^\s( 
Mcmt  \ mcnton  S^JCtatOT  oKm  Amvsi\  In 
mimf  iwkir  ittmf  lolttum  cu  4Wxiiuti«: 
cc\c(hum  fiifpifc!  cmrituf  artmdin<!^  cn  yuvif:f 

fiUxf  ludc  *'4C  ^ct'poncrn  afinc4num  ctWmn>  tfi^r 
xomAnoxyxm  dvkctf  4tdr4n«^  m • pn  ♦ cJpjrtunimtitur  * 
pmtlulum  rcfip/ccntef  no  ttu^  rn4nT  mlittne. tercteT 
ciUculoT/ctectnf^f  concuU^  c<H^vu(Te  ntu  |?ucroti4trj 
c4ligiT'  nc  <lum  t^r  ad  tccreandam  wirhitem  yf^rct 
tncttc  ml  A^cnttC  fiitinttai-et'  infkma  - CLuoT 
m^rUtutn  latiXibtlmm  tx^ciUcvutn  fyxtmcn  tnitta. 
ttmir  nc  o\o  tff  tcttt  otic  loco  to 

ccC%  latonf  (Hidcntit-uf  petntw  illuiWtltn  liWr/auti 
atitifljiioru  reuotti^mttb«r  i ali^uo  \tm  opnt,  (t 

^ft&jticUr  yi^<ie((c  * Mcmi  ^tdyp.'  uhf  / et  foHiCxc ^u% 
ir4cti  JlcCtJlcrto  ruJtf  ^dui  itrAnt  (kudtoru 
ctrc4  Inftgtitm  IccHonlC  (^fum  iyedm  yYtmu  du^ 
no  nuop  wotium  • (lUmtum  i 

rum  / few  ^alti4dwm  uY  nuivif  occufut  uoc^htth/dTr 
fci^  ctxntdh^endo  ^ ddxmt,  ntrjy;^iU  du  mBtif 
nam  yro  fimc  dxi  yAhtdiC  jy  manfc S^uct  ctuusittf 
uY j^uicic  \oco  (iitnitury  £iaU  (enGiC  \yy(hruUC  p 

[ No.  39] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

40  loannis  Boccacii  de  Certaldo : de  monti- 

bus:  sylvis:  fontibus:  lacubus:  | flumini- 
bus  : stagnis  : seu  paludibus : de  nominibus 
maris;  liber  incipit  feliciter.  — [Colophon) 
lo.  Boccatii  uiri  clarissimi  de  montibus: 
siluis ; I fontibus : lacubus : stagnis  seu 

paludibus : & de  | diuersis  nominibus  ma- 
ris opus  diligentissime  | impressum  finit. 
Venetiis  Idus  Ian.  cccc.lxxiii  (1473). 

Folio. 

The  first  edition,  frequently  bound  with  De  Genea- 
logia  Deoru77i,  printed  by  Vindelinus  in  1472,  and  so, 
probably,  by  the  same  printer. 

41  Opera  DeirHvomo  Dotto  Et  | Famoso 
Giovan.  Boccaccio  da  Certal  | do,  dalla 
lingua  latina  nel  thosco  idioma  per  Meser 
Ni-  I colo  Liburnio  nouamente  trallatata. 
Doue  per  | ordine  d’Alphabeto  si  tratta 
diffusamente  delli  | Monti  ; Selve  : Bos-  | 
chi:  Fonti:  La-  | ghi;  Fiumi : Sta-  | gni : 
Paludi  I Golfi : et  | Mari : . . . 

Quarto. 

There  is  no  colophon  to  this,  the  first  translation  of 
the  preceding  work;  but  it  was  probably  printed  at 
Rome  (by  A.  Blado?)  about  1550. 

42  Vrbano  | Di  M.  Gioan  Boccaccio  | opera 
bellitissima  {sic)  in  questi  nouelli  gior-  | ni 
uenuta  a luce,  con  somma  dili-  | genza 


32 


petrarcbam  mclytum  prfceptorem  meamboncAa  fade  SC  faurea  uireti 
confpicuum  per  idmet  fladium  lento  famen  incedeneem  gradurnon 
^quidelabore  attritum:  fed  altioribuscogitaiioibus  preCfum:  dC  celebri 
acqj;  comedabali  grauirate  dedii(5l:um«  Obfluput  afpedtu  prime  miratf 
quid  circa  tarn  infimum  limen  deduccref  homo  fublimis . ide  memor 
Maronem  folitum  nonunq  gregem  per  fmas  dalles  deducere ; 6i  aliqo 
jnea  fuum:  etia  fupra  aftra  tranfFcrrc:  rubore  fufflsfus  plurimo  conRitit 
6c  fortunam  ante  alia  damnaui  meam:g)  co  me  in  diferimen  deduxi(r64 
uc  auditor  ex  minimis  cum  pr^ceptore  ludlarerrpendenfqi  multa  eueRi 
gio  animo  circuuolui:an  irem.i.dC  incoeptum  iter  perf!cerem:ut  Rare  m 
leu  pottusomnino  redirem:  & prefla  bumo  ueRigia  exturbarem.  Oc/ 
currebant  aut  mibi  plurima  fuadentia  reditum:6C  ate  alia  clariffimi  prj 
ceptotis  mei  fublimitas  Rili  ornatu  redimita  mirabili:  dC  lententiarum 
ponderofitatc  plurima  Rabilis.6^  infuper  lepiditatc  uerbo:^  deledlabilis 
nimiumrquacucunq;  extranea  uideaturmateriaPr^terea  notitiarerum 
cuius  plurimum  indiget  labor  ifterquam  adeo  fibi  familiarem  noaeram 
ut  uidilTe  omniaifiC  tenaci' feruafle  memoria  uideretur.Et  cu  bis  ruditas 
mca  ftilus  cxoticus  t biRoriaru  penuria ; ingenium  bebes:  fluxa  meo^ 

ria  ueniebantra  quibus  perfuafuscumiam  elTem  femiffexus  in  reditum 
ecce  prouerbium  uetus  uenit  in  mentem:  quo  aiunt  contraria  iuxta  fe 
poftta  magis  elucefcut.  Et  ex  co  arbitratus  fulgoris  fui  radios  quatucuqi 
de  fedariflimosopacitatisme^  tenebras  penetraturos  poRcuideri  ita 
entibus  dariores:  mutaui  confilium : dC  ad  eius  reuerentiam  non  pugil: 
fed  obfequiorus  feruulus  6c  itmeris  Rrator  infinem  ufq;  dedudtus  fum: 
uolens  iubeniqi  fi  quod  meritum  mibi  laboris  bui9  expedtandu  cR  caa^ 
tos  e(Te  ledlores : ut  fi  quid  in  bocopere  operi  uiriincVti  comperiantue 
aduerfumrdamnetur  illico : & fua  fequatur : tanq  uera  Ranfq?  fententia* 
Scripfi  quidem  quod  in  buccam  uenit . Ipfe  autem  ft  mores  noui  fuos) 
omnia  multipltci  trutinatione  digcRatomia  pondcrofo  librata  iudicio 
lcrip(it:fcribetqt . Si  quid  uero  congruum  fuis  conforme  feriptis  copiaf  • 
diuinf  boitatidodlrini  aferibatur  fuf« 

lo.Boccattt  am  clarifSmI  de  monttbus:fiIuis: 
fontTbus:lacubus:Ragnis  feu  paludibus:  de 

diuerfis  nomibus  maris  opus  diligentiRime 
iprelfum  limi;  Venetiis  Idas  laoxc  c c «b«iij  ^ 

[ No.  40  ] 


OPERA  DELL'HVOMO  DOTTO  ET 
Famofo  GIO  VAN -BOCCACCIO  daCerhl 
do , dalla  lingua  latina  nel  thofco  idiomapcr  Mefer  N I « 
COLO  Liiurnio  nouamentetrallatata . JDoueper 
ordine  4“ Alfhaheto  ft  tratta  dijfufamente  delli 

MONTI  : SELVE  t BOS/ 

CHI  .♦  FONTI  : LA/ 
GHI.*FIVMI:STA 
GNI:PALVDI 
GOLFI  t & 

MAKlt 

DeU'uniuerfo  MONDO  , Con  te  nature  O' tMe  Pat 
tre  cope  memoraUli  in  ^elji  anticamente  fatte  o da 
VoetijCoJmographi^ouer  Hijiorki  difcrittePEt  in  fine 
ferlofiofradettOtM.*'P4icolo  Lihurniopojle fonole 
Vrouinciedt tutto’l Modo , doe  D'ASIA  EV 
ROPA  ) O'  APHRICA  » E<?« che tnodo 
tnoUe  delle  dette  furono  chiamate  da  gli  antichi  O'  in 
de  guifa  hor  nominate  fono  dalli  Moderm  ♦ 


[ No.  41  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

uista,  corretta  et  nuo-  | uamente  stampata. 
I M D XXX.  \Portrait.\ — {Colophon)  Stam- 
pato  in  Vinegia  per  Nicolo  | d’Aristotile 
detto  Zoppino.  | MDXXX. 

Octavo. 

This  work,  a tale  about  an  accident  which  happened 
to  the  Emperor  Frederick  Barbarossa,  is  erroneously- 
attributed  to  Boccaccio.  According  to  Tommaso 
Buonaventuri  {^Lettera  published  by  the  Abbate  Luigi 
Fiaschi),  it  was  the  work  of  a writer  who  tried  to 
imitate  him.  In  a manuscript  once  belonging  to 
Poggiali  it  is  ascribed  to  Giovanni  Buonsignori  of 
Citta  di  Gastello. 

Boiardo,  Matteo  Maria,  was  bom  at  Scan- 
diano,  one  of  the  seigniorial  estates  of  his  family,  near 
Reggio  di  Modena,  about  1434.  At  an  early  age  he 
entered  the  University  of  Ferrara,  where  he  acquired 
a good  knowledge  of  Greek  and  Latin,  and  even  of 
the  Oriental  languages.  At  the  court  of  Ferrara 
he  enjoyed  the  favor  of  Duke  Borso  d’Este  and 
his  successor  Ercole,  and  was  entrusted  with  several 
honorable  employments.  He  was  named  governor 
of  Reggio  in  1478.  Three  years  afterwards  he 
was  elected  captain  of  Modena,  and  reappointed 
governor  of  the  town  and  citadel  of  Reggio,  where 
he  died  in  December,  1494. 

43  Liprimi  tre  libri  del  | Conte  Orlando  | ina- 
morato I Composto  per  el  Conte  Matteo 
I maria  Boiardo  Conte  | di  Scandiano  Poe 
I tapreclaris-  | simo. — {Colophon)\m^x^%<s>Q 

35 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

nella  inclita  Citta  di  Venetia  per  Augu- 
stino  di  Bendoni  nel  Anno  del  signore. 
MDxxxviij. 

Octavo. 

Colophon  of  this  copy  missing;  supplied  from  Brunet 
and  Melzi. 

Boiardo’s  poem  of  sixty-nine  cantos  was  left  incom- 
plete at  the  author’s  death.  He  published  the  first 
two  books  in  i486  ( Venice,  by  Piero  de  Fiasi) ; the 
third  was  published  after  his  death  ( Venice,  by  Simone 
Bevilacqiia,  i4gs).  All  three  books  were  printed 
together  at  Scandiano  the  year  after  his  death,  under 
the  superintendence  of  his  son,  Count  Camillo  {Scan- 
diano, by  Pellegrino  de  Pasquali,  i4gs) ; but  of  this 
edition  no  copy  is  known.  The  work  continued  to 
be  reprinted  during  the  first  half  of  the  XVIth  cen- 
tury, but  it  was  then  superseded  by  the  Furioso. 

The  Orlando  Imiamorato  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant poems  in  Italian  literature ; it  was  the  first  ex- 
ample of  the  romantic  epic,  and  served  as  a model 
for  the  Orlando  Furioso.  “Without  the  Innamorato 
the  Furioso  is  meaningless.” 

“The  value  of  the  Orlando  Innamorato  for  the 
student  of  Italian  development  is  principally  this, 
that  it  is  the  most  purely  chivalrous  poem  of  the 
Renaissance.  ” — Symonds. 

44  Tutti  li  libri  d’ Orlando  inamorato  del  conte 
de  Scandiano  Mattheo  Maria  Bojardo,  al 
vero  senso  reduti  et  ultimamente  stampai 
{sic)  MDXLIII. — {Colophon)  InVineggia 
per  Alouise  de  Tortis.  Nelli  anni  della  | 

36 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


Salutifera  Incarnatione  del  nostro  Signore  | 
lesu  Christo.  M.D.XXXXIIL  | del  mese 
di  Febraro.  | Orlan.  Inna. 

Title-page  of  this  copy  missing.  Title  supplied  from 
Brunet, 

45  II  Qvarto  [Quinto,  and  Sesto']  Libro  Dello  | 
Innamoramento  Di  Orlando  | nel  quale 
si  conteneno  molte,  e Diverse  | battaglie, 
come  in  quel  leggendo  | si  potra  intendere. 
Composto  I per  Nicolo  Delli  Agostini  | 
nuouamente  ristampa  | pato(i-/<r),e  congran 
cura  I corretto. — (^Colophon)  In  Vineggia 
per  Aloise  de  Tortis.  Nelli  anni  della  | 
Salutifera  Incarnatione  del  nostro  Signore  | 
lesu  Christo.  M.D.XXXXIIL  | Del 
mese  di  Febraro. 

Octavo. 

There  are  only  two  other  known  copies  of  this  edi- 
tion, one  in  the  Royal  Library  at  Stuttgart,  the  other 
was  offered  in  the  Libri  sale  in  1847. 

All  editions  of  Orlando  Innamorato  printed  in  the 
first  half  of  the  XVIth  century  are  rare,  especially 
when  well  preserved.  They  were  already  scarce  in 
the  second  half  of  the  XVIth  century,  as  is  proved  by 
a letter  of  G.  Vine.  Pinello  to  Aldus  Manutius,  ask- 
ing the  printer  to  lend  him  an  edition  of  Boiardo  “in 
quel  modo  che  fu  lasciata  da  lui  senza  riforma,”  be- 
cause he  was  unable  to  find  a copy. 

“No  edition  of  the  original  as  Boiardo  wrote  it 

37 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

was  published  from  1544  to  1830,  when  Antonio 
Panizzi  . . . redeemed  it  from  oblivion  and  restored 
it  to  the  place  it  has  ever  since  maintained  as  a star 
of  at  least  the  second  magnitude  in  the  constellation 
of  Italian  epic  poetry.” — Garnett. 

The  three  books,  written  by  Nicolo  degli  Agostino, 
in  continuation  of  Orlando  Innamorato,  were  issued 
separately,  and  at  different  times.  The  first  book 
was  printed  with  Boiardo’s  three  books  at  Venice  by 
Giorgio  de  Rusconi  in  1506;  the  second  book  was 
written  nine  years  after  the  first,  and  printed  sepa- 
rately in  1514  (Venice,  by  Giorgio  di  Rusconi).  We 
find  the  third  book  published  for  the  first  time  in  the 
edition  of  Orlando  Innamorato  printed  at  Venice  by 
F.  Bindoni  and  M.  Pusini,  1525. 

46  Sonetti  e Canzone  Del  | Poeta  Carissimo 
{sic)  Ma  I theo  Maria  Boiardo  | Conte  di 
Scandiano  [Frintefs  mark\  — ( Colophon) 
Impressum  Venetiis  per  loannem  Bap- 
tistam  Sessa.  | Anno  Domini.  M.ccccc.i.a. 
di.xxvi.  Marzo  ^Printer's  mark\. 

Small  quarto. 

Mazzuchelli  pronounces  this  edition  rarissima. 

“His  lyrics  . . . prove  that,  like  Lorenzo  de’ 
Medici,  he  was  capable  of  following  the  path  of 
Petrarch  without  falling  into  Petrarchistic  manner- 
ism. ” — Symonds. 


Bracciolini,  Giovanni  Francesco  Pog- 

gio,  was  born  at  Terranuova  in  1380,  and  died  in 
1459.  He  rendered  an  important  service  to  literature 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italiait  Books 

by  his  discoveries  of  ancient  Latin  manuscripts,  for 
which  he  searched  in  monasteries.  He  discovered 
seven  orations  of  Cicero,  twelve  comedies  of  Plautus, 
the  commentaries  of  Asconius  Pedianus,  the  history 
of  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  and  other  interesting 
classical  works. 

47  Poggij  florentini  Oratoris  eloquentissi  | mi 
ac  secretarij  apostolici.  facetiarum  incipit 
fell-  I citer, — {Colof/ion)  Poggij  florentini 
secretarij  apostolici  | facetiarum  liber  ex- 
plicit feliciter.  | Im-  | pressus  Basilee  per. 
N.  K.  [JV.  Kesler\  quartadecima  | men- 
sis  Martii.  Anno  domini.  M.cccc  | Ixxxviij. 

Small  quarto. 

These  facetiae  contain  coarse  and  unpleasant  ob- 
scenities, told  by  Cardinal  Lannellotto,  anecdotes  and 
witticisms  of  Dante,  and  jokes  of  Gonnella,  a buf- 
foon of  the  Visconti  of  Milan. 


Bracciolini,  lacopo  di  Poggio,  the  son  of 

the  above,  was  born  in  1441,  and  died  in  1478. 

48  Historia  Di  | lacopo  Di  M.  Poggio,  | 
della  origine  della  gran  guerra  | tra  Fran- 
ces! et  Inglesi.  | \Printefs  mark\  In  Fio- 
renza  MDXLVII. — {Colophon)  Stampata 
in  Fiorenza  per  il  Doni  a di  | xix  del  Mese 
di  Marzo  Fanno  | MDXLVII. 

Octavo. 


39 


HI  STORI A DI 

lACOPO  Dl  M.  POGGIO, 
itUtoriginedeUii  gronguena 
traSraiaJia’in$ltJlt» 


INFIORENZAMDSCLVII# 


[ No.  48  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

The  first  edition  of  this  historical  novel ; it  was 
reprinted  at  Florence  in  1834  with  the  title  Novella 
dHncerto  autore  del  sec.  XV,  and  at  Lucca  in  1850 
with  the  title  Novella  della  Pulzella  di  Francia. 

A unique  copy.  Gamba  {Serie  del  fesii  di  lingua') 
mentions  only  the  second  edition  of  1834,  asserting 
that  it  is  the  first.  It  is  mentioned  in  Passano,  who 
says  that  it  is  very  rare. 

Bruno,  Giordano,  the  most  genial  and  inter- 
esting of  the  Italian  philosophers  of  the  Renaissance, 
was  born  at  Nola  about  the  year  1548.  In  his 
fifteenth  year  he  entered  the  order  of  the  Dominicans 
at  Naples,  but  he  soon  found  the  restraints  intolera- 
ble, and  became  an  outcast  from  his  Church.  He 
was  accused  of  impiety,  and  thereafter  led  a life  of 
flight  and  exile.  After  seven  years  of  imprisonment 
in  Rome  he  was  burned  at  the  stake,  February  7, 
1600. 

49  Candelaio  | Comedia  Del  Brv  | No  No- 
lano  Achademi-  | Co  di  nulla  Achade- 
mia;  detto  il  fa-  | stidito.  | In  Tristitia 
Hila-  I ris:  in  Hilaritate  tristis.  | In  Pa- 
riggi,  I Appresso  Guglelmo  {sic)  Giuliano. 
A1  I segno  de  I’Amicitia.  j M.D.LXXXIL 
Duodecbno. 

The  first  edition. 

Moliere  took  from  this  satire  on  pedantry  and 
avarice  the  idea  for  the  first  interlude  of  his  Malade 
Imaginane. 


41 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Brusantino,  Vincenzo,  was  bom  at  Ferrara, 
and  died  in  that  city  about  the  year  1570.  He  also 
translated  in  ottava  rima  the  Decameron  {Cento 
Novelle  di  Vincenzo  Brusantini  in  ottava  rima;  e 
tutte  hanno  VAllegoria  col  Proverbio  a proposito  della 
Novella.  Venice,  by  Marcolini,  iyS4)' 

50  Angelica  | Inamorata,  | Di  M.  Vincentio 

Brvsantino  Ferrarese.  | ...  [Printers 

mark]  In  Vinegia  | Per  Francesco  Mar- 
colini, M D LI  1 1.  I Con  Privilegio. 

Quarto. 

The  second  edition. 

This  work  forms  a sequel  to  Ariosto’s  Orlando 
Furioso. 

Burchiello,  Domenico,  lived  in  Florence, 
where  he  was  probably  born.  The  year  of  his  birth 
is  unknown;  he  died  at  Rome  in  1448. 

51  Rime  | Del  Bvrchiello  | Fiorentino  | Co- 

mentate  dal  Doni.  | • [Printer's  mark] 

In  Vicenza,  Per  gli  Heredi  di  Perin  Li- 
braro.  1597  | Con  licentia  de’  Superiori. 

Octavo. 

Doni’s  commentary  is  often  so  obscure  as  to  be 
more  in  need  of  elucidation  than  the  Sonnets. 


Caro,  Annibale,  was  bom  at  Civita  Nuova  in 
1507.  His  most  important  work  was  the  translation 
of  the  Aeneid  (Venice,  1581).  He  is  also  the  author 


42 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

of  Rime,  Canzoni,  and  sonnets,  a comedy  entitled 
Gli  Straccioni,  and  two  clever  jeux  d’’ esprit,  one  in 
praise  of  figs  (Z«  Ficheide),  and  another  in  eulogy 
of  the  big  nose  of  Ancona  Leoni,  president  of  the 
Accademia  della  Vertu.  His  prose  works  consist  of 
translations  from  Aristotle,  Cyprian,  and  Gregory 
Nazianzen;  and  of  these  letters,  written  in  his  own 
name  and  in  those  of  the  Cardinals  Farnese,  which 
are  both  remarkable  for  their  elegance.  Caro’s  poetry 
is  distinguished  by  very  considerable  ability,  and  par- 
ticularly by  the  freedom  and  grace  of  its  versification. 
He  died  at  Rome,  November  21,  1566. 

52  De  Le  Lettere  | Familiari  | Del  Commen- 
datore  | Annibal  Caro  | Volvme  Primo 
\and  Seco7ido\  \ Col  Priuilegio  di  N.  S.  PP. 
Pio  V.  & deir  Illustriss.  | Signoria  di 
Venetia.  | ^Printer's  mark\  In  Venetia,  | 
Appresso  Aldo  Manutio.  | M.D.LXXIV. 
(-MDLXXV). 

Quarto.  Two  volumes. 

The  first  volume  was  printed  by  Aldus  in  1572;  the 
second  is  here  printed  for  the  first  time.  The  first 
volume  was  published,  posthumously,  by  Giambat- 
tista Caro,  a nephew  of  the  author,  and  the  second  by 
Lepido  Caro,  another  nephew.  This  edition  is  the 
best,  and  Volpi  used  it  for  his  edition  of  1725. 

Giovanni  Della  Casa  was  born  at  Mugello, 
June  28,  1503.  He  studied  at  Bologna,  Florence, 
and  Rome,  and  by  his  learning  attracted  the  attention 
of  Alexander  Farnese,  who,  as  Pope  Paul  III,  made 


43 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

him  nuncio  to  Florence,  where  he  received  the  honor 
of  being  elected  a member  of  the  Accademia  Fioren- 
tina.  He  was  appointed  archbishop  of  Benevento, 
and  it  was  believed  that  it  was  only  his  licentious 
poem,  Capitoli  del  Forno^  which  prevented  him  from 
being  raised  to  a still  higher  dignity.  He  died  at 
Rome,  November  14,  1556.  Casa  is  chiefly  re- 
markable as  the  leader  of  a reaction  in  lyric  poetry 
against  the  universal  imitation  of  Petrarch,  and  as 
the  originator  of  a style  which,  if  less  soft  and  ele- 
gant, is  more  majestic  than  that  which  it  replaced. 
His  prose  writings  gained  great  reputation  in  their 
own  day  and  long  afterwards,  but  are  disfigured  by 
frequent  puerility  and  circumlocution.  His  principal 
work  is  the  famous  II  Galateo,  a treatise  on  man- 
ners, which  has  been  translated  into  Latin  and  several 
other  languages. 

53  Le  Terze  Rime  De  | Messer  Giovanni  Dal 
I La  Casa  Di  Messer  | Bino  Et  D’  Altri  | 
[Printer’s  mark\  Per  Cvrtio  Navo,  E Fra  | 
Telli.  M D XXXVIII  [ Venice\ 

Octavo. 

Second  edition;  the  first  was  printed  at  Venice  by 
the  same  printer  in  1528.  We  find  these  poems 
registered  in  the  early  Roman  Indices  librorum  pro- 
hibitorum. 


Castiglione,  Baldassare,  was  bom  at  Ca- 

satico,  December  6,  1478.  He  was  educated  at  Milan 
under  the  famous  humanist  Giorgio  Merula  and  under 
Demetrio  Calcondila.  In  1496  he  entered  the  service 
of  Lodovico  Sforza,  Duke  of  Milan,  returning  to 


44 


IL  LIBRO  DEL  CORTEGIANO* 
DEL  CONTE  BALDESAR 
CASTIGLIONE* 


Hafli  nel  priuiIegio,8c  nella  gratia  ottenuta  dalla  Illuftnflima 
Signoria  che  m quefta,nein  niunaltraCittadelfuo 
dominio  fi  pofla  imprimere,  ne  alrroue 
impreflb  iicndere  quefto  libra 
del  Cortegiano  per«x*  anni 
fotto  le  pene  in  eflb 
contenuCe  * 


[ No.  54  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Mantua  in  1500  when  Lodovico  was  carried  prisoner 
into  France.  In  1504  he  was  attached  to  the  court  of 
Guidobaldo  Malatesta,  Duke  of  Urbino,  and  in  1506 
he  was  sent  by  this  prince  on  a mission  to  Henry  VII 
of  England.  He  died  at  Toledo  in  1529. 

Castiglione  wrote  little,  but  that  little  is  of  rare  merit, 
and  his  verses,  in  Latin  and  Italian,  are  elegant  in 
the  extreme. 

54  II  Libro  DelCortegiano  | Del  Conte  Balde- 
sar  I Castiglione.  [Printer's  mark\  — ( Co- 
lophon) In  Venetia  nelle  case  d’ Aldo  Ro- 
mano, & d’  Andrea  d’  Asola  suo  | Suocero, 
nel?  anno  M.D.XXVIII.  [ del  mese 
d’  Aprile. 

Eolio. 

The  first  edition.  Aldus  printed  six  editions  of  this 
book. 

Castiglione’s  idea  was  not  to  describe  the  courtier 
and  how  he  lives  at  court,  but  to  form  a perfect 
courtier.  He  gives  a charming  picture  of  the  court 
of  Guidobaldo  da  Montefeltre,  Duke  of  Urbino,  con- 
fessedly the  purest  and  most  elevated  of  Italy. 


Cavalca,  Domenico,  a monk  of  the  Dominican 
order,  was  born  at  Vico  Pisano,  and  died  in  1342. 

55  Libro  Di  Patientia  In  | Lingva  Fioren- 
tina. — {Colophon)  Finisce  | illibro  Della 
Pa  I tientia  chia  | mato  medi  | cina  di 
chuore  | diuiso  in  tre  diuoti  | tractati: 
46 


DVE 

T R A T T A T I 

VNO  INTORNO  ALLE  OTTO 
PRINCIJPALIAKTI 
deh’oreficeria. 

Laltro  in  materia  dell’Arte  della  Scultura  j 
doue  ft  veggono  infiniti  fegretinel  la 
uorar  le  Figure  di  Marmo,  & 
nel  gettarle  di  Bronzo , 

COHTOSTl  M.BEXf'ETiyrO  CEllIt{l 
SCVLTORE  E^IORENTJ  NO. 


IN  FIORENZA 
PerValentePanizzij,S:  Marco  Peri,  m d lxviix, 

[ No.  56  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

composto  da  fra  | Domenicho  da  Vico 
pisano  | dellordine  de  frati  predicatori  | 
Impresso  in  Firenze  per  Ser  Fran  | cesco 
Bonacorsi : nellan  | no.  M.CCCC.  |. 

LXXXX.  I Adi  dodici  di  maggio. 

Quarto. 

Cellini,  Benvenuto,  the  celebrated  goldsmith 
and  sculptor,  was  born  at  Florence,  November  lo, 
1500;  he  died  in  that  city  December  13,  1571.  His 
remarkable  career  is  best  described  in  his  autobiog- 
raphy, “a  greater  work  of  art  than  any  he  accom- 
plished in  his  own  vocation,”  and  his  most  important 
literary  work.  “ Of  the  literary  merit  of  his  perform- 
ance it  is  needless  to  speak ; if  not  at  the  very  head 
of  entertaining  autobiographies,  it  is  at  least  second 
to  none.” — Garnett. 

56  Dve  I Trattati  | Vno  Intorno  Alle  Otto  | 
Principali  Arti  | Dell’  Orificeria.  | L’  altro 
in  materia  dell’  Arte  della  Scultura ; | done 
si  ueggono  infiniti  segreti  nel  la  | uorar 
le  Figure  di  Marmo,  & | nel  gettarle  di 
Bronzo.  | Composti  Da  M.  Benvenvto 
Cellini  | Scvltore  Fiorentino.  \Printefs 
Mark\  In  Fiorenza  | Per  Valente  Pan- 
izzij,  & Marco  Peri.  M D LXVIII. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition,  dedicated  to  Cardinal  Ferdinando 
de’  Medici.  At  the  end  of  the  volume  are  some 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Italian  and  Latin  poems  in  praise  of  the  statues  of 
Perseus  and  of  the  Christ  by  Benvenuto,  written  by 
Varchi,  Vivaldi,  Mini,  Bronzino  (the  painter),  Lelio, 
Bonsi,  Paolo  del  Rosso,  and  Poggini,  another  gold- 
smith and  sculptor. 

Chiabrera,  Gabriello,  was  born  at  Savona, 
June  8,  1552,  and  died  there,  October  14,  1637. 

57  DellePoesie  | Di  | Gabriello  | Chiabrera  | 
Parte  Prima  \Seconda  and  Terza\.  \ Per 
Lvi  Medesimo  Ordinata,  | • . . \Frinter''s 
Mark\  In  Genova,  | Appresso  Giuseppe 
Pauoni.  MDCV  (-MDCVI).  | Con  li- 
cenza  de’  Superiori. 

Octavo. 

Chiabrera’ s reputation  rests  chiefly  on  his  lyrics. 
Early  in  his  career  he  discovered  “that  the  Italian 
canzone  needed  to  be  reformed  upon  a Greek  model.” 
The  value  of  the  discovery  lay  “not  so  much  in  its 
abstract  worth  or  in  any  real  assimilation  of  the  spirit 
of  Greek  poetry  by  Chiabrera,  but  in  an  endeavour 
after  a high  standard,  which,  even  when  misdirected, 
proved  the  best  corrective  of  the  inanity  and  effemi- 
nacy to  which  the  Italian  canzone  had  become  prone.” 
— Garnett. 

Colonna,  Vittoria,  the  daughter  of  Fabrizio 
Colonna,  was  born  at  Marino  about  1490.  Betrothed 
when  four  years  old  to  Francisco  d’ Avalos,  son  of 
the  Marquis  of  Pescara,  she  received  the  highest 
education  and  gave  early  proof  of  a love  of  letters. 


49 


RIME  DELLA 

DIVINA  VETTORlACO 
LONNA  MaRCHESA 
NA  DIPeSCARA 


Cen  Ufnefl*n^  aggimte  et  di  nucuo  cen  dili 
gintia Jlampate  et  ricorrette. 


M.  D.  XXX  IX. 


[ No.  58  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

At  seventeen  she  married  d’Avalos.  In  1525,  her 
husband  having  died  of  wounds  received  at  Milan, 
Vittoria  went  to  Naples,  where  she  remained  for 
about  ten  years.  She  died  at  Rome,  February  25,  I547- 
She  was  the  perfect  example  of  the  Italian  lady. 
Her  name  was  honored  in  all  Italy.  Simone  Fornari 
asserts  that  Ariosto  wrote  the  tale  of  Drusilla  in 
Orlando  Furioso  to  exalt  her  as  an  example  of 
womanly  virtue ; and  Michelangelo  dedicated  to  her 
some  of  his  finest  sonnets. 

58  Rime  Della  | Divina  Vettoria  Co  | lonna 
Marchesa  | Na  Di  Pescara  | Con  le  sue 
stanze  aggiunte  et  di  nuouo  con  dili  | 
gentiastampate  et  ricorrette.  | M.D.XXX- 
IX. 

Octavo. 

The  second  edition.  Printed  at  Venice  by  Marchio 
Sessa. 


Coppetta  de’  Beccuti,  Francesco,  was 

born  at  Perugia  in  1509  or  1510,  and  died  in  1553 
or  1554-  He  is  celebrated  chiefly  for  his  burlesques 
written  in  excellent  sonnets,  “a  curious  blending  of 
parodies  of  Petrarch  with  genuine  feeling.” 

59  Rime  | Di  M.  Francesco  | Coppetta  | De’ 
Beccvti,  I Pervgino.  | Con  Privilegio. 
[Printer's  mark\  In  Venetia,  | Appresso 
Domenico,  et  Gio.  Battista  Guerra  fratelli.  | 
MDLXXX. 

Octavo. 


51 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 
The  first  edition. 

Neither  Renouard  nor  Brunet  mentions  these 
as  the  production  of  the  Aldine  press,  which  they 
undoubtedly  are,  as  is  apparent  from  a passage  in 
the  dedication. 

Dante  Alighieri  was  born  at  Florence  in  May, 
1265  ; he  died  at  Ravenna,  September  14,  1321. 

60  Qui  comincia  la  vita  e costumi  dello  ex- 
cellente  | Poeta  vulgari  Dante  alighieri  di 
Firenze  | honore  e gloria  de  lidioma  Fior- 
entino.  Seri  | pto  e composto  per  lo 
famosissimo  homo  | missier  giouani  Boc- 
chacio  da  certaldo.  scri  | pto  de  la  origene 
vita.  Studii  e costumi  del  | clarissimo 
huomo  Dante  alleghieri  Poeta  | Fioren- 
tino.  E dellopere  composte  per  lui  in  | 
comincia  felicemente.  E in  questo  primo 
ca  I pitulo  tocha  la  sententia  de  Solone.  la 
qua  I le  e mal  seguita  per  gli  Fiorentini. — 
{^Colophon)  Finita  e lopra  delinclito  e diuo  | 
dante  alleghieri  Fiorentino  poeta  | per  cui 
il  texto  a noi  e intellectiuo  \ Christofal 
Berardi  pisaurense  detti  | opera  e sacto  in- 
degno  correctore  | per  quanto  intese  di 
quella  i subietti  | De  spiera  vendelin  fu  il 
stampatore  | del  mille  quattrocento  e set- 
tantasetti  [1477)  j correuan  gli  anni  del 
nostro  signore  | Finis. 

Folio, 


52 


Origmal  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

The  first  edition  of  the  Divine  Comedy  was  printed 
at  Foligno  by  Johannes  Numeister  and  Evangelista 
Mei  in  1472. 

Gamba  says  that  the  commentary  of  this  edition, 
although  ascribed  to  Benvenuto  da  Imola,  or  to 
Pietro,  Dante’s  son,  is,  by  general  consent,  by  lacopo 
della  Lana. 

61  Proemio  | Comento  di  christoforo  Lan- 
dino  fiorentino  sopra  la  comedia  di  Danthe 
alighieri  poeta  fiorentino. — ( Colophon)  F ine 
del  comento  di  Christoforo  Landino  Fio- 
rentino sopra  la  Comedia  di  Danthe  poeta 
excellentissimo.  | Et  impresso  in  Vinegia 
per  Octauiano  Scoto  da  Monza.  Adi. 
xxiii.  di  Marzo.  M.cccc.Lxxxiiii. 

Folio. 

Second  edition,  with  the  commentary  of  Cristoforo 
Landino  (1424-1504),  one  of  the  chief  members  of 
the  academy  founded  at  Florence  by  Cosimo  de’ 
Medici.  He  was  professor  of  belles-lettres  and  the 
tutor  of  Lorenzo  and  Giuliano  de’  Medici. 


62  La  I Divina  | Commedia  | Di  | Dante 
Alighieri  | Con  | TavoleInRame  | Tomo 
I {If  III  and  IV)  I Firenze  | Nella  Tipo- 
gr^-fia  I Air  Insegna  Dell’  Ancora  | MD» 
CCCXVII  (-MDCCCXIX). 

Folio.  Four  volumes.  Portrait. 

The  first  volume  contains  forty-four  plates  by 
Ademollo  and  Lasinio;  the  second,  forty  plates  by 

53 


CONVIVIO  DIDANTE  ALIGHIERI 
FiORENTINO 


f I CHOME  DICE  ILPHILOSO 
pho  nelpnncipio  dcllapnma  pbilofophia: 
Tutti  gli  buomini  naturalmete  defidcrano 
difapere*  Laragioncdicbe'puo  efTerc  fie/ 
cbc  ciafcbuna  cofa  daprouidcnria  dipropia 
natura  impinta  e/indmabile  allafua  perfe 
ctione.  Ondc  acdo  cbe  lafdenna  e/ulnma 
perfcctionedcllanortraanimarndlaqualc  fta  Ianofri*a  uinma 
felidfaitutri  naturalmentealfuo  defidcno  fiamo  fubiccti.Ve 
ramentc  daquefta  nobiliffima  perfectione  moln  fono  pnuati 
per  diuerfc  cagioni:cbe  dentro  albuomo  ctdifuori  daclTo  lui 
rimuouono  dalbabito  diTdentia*  Dentro  dalbuomo  pofTono 
efTerc  due  difectire  limpedito  luno  dallaparte  dcicorporlaltro 
dallapartedellanima.  Dallaparte  delcorpo  e/quando  leparti 
fono  indebitamentediTpofrcrfi  cbe  nulla  riceuere  puodi  co 
me  fono  fordi  cr  muti  ct  Ipro  fimib*  Dallaparte  dcllanima  e/ 
quado  lamalitiauincc in  cfTadi  cbe  fifa  feguitarrice  di  uitio 
fe  dilectationirnellequali  riceue  tanto  ingannorcbe  p quelle 
ogni  chofa  riene  auile*  Difuori  dalbuomo  pofTono  eflere  fi 
milemente  due  cbagfoni  intefe:luna  dellequali  e/mductnee 
dinecefTjta.-Ialtra  dfpigiTtia,  Lapnma  c/Iacui-a  familiarc  ct  ci 
uiTe:  laquale  conueneuolcmcnte  ad  fe  riene  dcglibuommi  il 
maggiore  numero;  fi  cbc  i otio  difpeculatione  effere  no  pof 
fono*  Lalrrae/ildifectodelluogboiouela  pfona  eUiata  et  nu 
trita?  cbe  tal  bora  fara  daogni  fmdio  non  folamcnte  pnuato 
ma  dagente  fmdiofa  lontano,  Lcduc  diqueftc  ebagioni  doe/ 
lapnma  dellapaite  difuon  non  fono  dauituperarerma  dafeu 
fareret  diperdono  degne*  Leduealtre  auengacbeluna  piur 
fono  degne  dibiafimo  etdab0minationc«Manifcftamdc  add 
cbe  puo  uedere  cbi  ben  cofidera:  cbe  pocbi  nmagono  quclli 
cbe  allbabito  datum  confiderafo  po/Tano  puenireret  innume 
rabili  quafi  fono  limpedfti:cbe  diquefto  dbo  datum*  fempre 
uiuono  affamati.  O beati  quelli  podii  cbefegbono  a quella 
me'fardoue  iTpane  degb'angeli  fimangiaret  miTeri  quelli  cbc 
con  lepccore  banno  comune  cibo«*  Ma  peroebe  ciafebuno  a 
dafeuno  buomo  e/naturalmente  amicbo;etaafcano  amicho 

a 1 


[ No.  64  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editmis  of  Italian  Books 

Ademollo;  the  third,  forty-one  plates  by  Nenci, 
Maselli,  Lapi,  Migliavacca,  Lasinio  and  Benucci.  The 
fourth  volume  contains  the  life  of  Dante  by  Leonardo 
Aretino  and  the  commentaries  on  the  three  Catitiche. 
This  edition  was  dedicated  to  the  celebrated  sculptor 
Antonio  Canova. 

63  La  I Divina  Commedia  | Di  | Dante  Ali- 
ghieri. I Firenze,  | G.  Barbera,  Editore.  | 
1898. 

Sixty -four-mo. 

The  smallest  legible  Dante. 

64  Convivio  Di  Dante  Alighieri  | Fioren- 
tino. — (^Colophon)  Impresso  in  Firenze  per 
ser  Francesco  bonaccorsi  Nel  an  | no  mille 
quattrocento  nouanta  Adi.  xx.  di  septembre. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

The  Convito  consists  of  an  introduction  and  three 
treatises,  each  forming  an  elaborate  commentary  in 
which  Beatrice  appears  as  an  allegory  of  divine 
philosophy.  When  done  it  was  to  have  comprised 
commentaries  on  eleven  more  canzoni,  making  four- 
teen in  all.  It  is  perhaps  the  least  well  known  of 
Dante’s  Italian  works;  it  is  crabbed  and  unattractive 
in  many  parts,  but  it  is  well  worth  reading,  and  con- 
tains many  passages  of  great  beauty  and  elevation. 
It  is  quite  indispensable  to  the  full  understanding  of 
the  Divina  Commedia.  "More  remarkable,  perhaps, 
than  the  philosophical  subtleties  of  which  it  consists, 
is  Dante’s  appeal  to  a new  public.  He  writes  no 


.■55 


Original  and  Early  Editiofis  of  Italian  Books 

longer  for  literary  circles,  but  for  the  world  of  per- 
sons of  worth  wherever  found,  especially  persons  of 
rank.  Hence  the  treatise  is  necessarily  composed  in 
Italian,  which  has  the  good  effect  of  drawing  from 
Dante  a spirited  vindication  of  his  native  tongue.” — 
Garnett.  The  time  of  its  composition  is  uncertain, 
but  it  was  probably  written  between  the  years  1292  and 
1300. 

Dolce,  Ludovico,  whom  we  have  seen  as  the 
editor  of  Boccaccio’s  U Amorosa  Visione,  was  born 
at  Venice  in  1508;  he  died  about  1568.  He  was  one 
of  the  most  laborious  and  fertile  writers  of  his 
century,  the  whole  number  of  his  works  amounting 
to  upwards  of  seventy. 

65  Le  I Prime  Imprese  | Del  Conte  Orlando  | 
Di  M.  Lodovico  Dolce.  | . . . [Printer's 
mark\  In  Vinegia  Appresso  Gabriel  | 
Giolito  De’  Ferrari.  | M D LXXII. 

Quarto.  Portrait. 

The  first  edition. 

Dolce  died  before  the  publication  of  this  work, 
which,  according  to  Ferrario,  is  his  best. 

Domenichi  Lodovico,  died  at  Pisa  in  1564. 

66  Orlando  Innamorato  Del  | Signor  Matteo 
Maria  Boiardo  | Conte  di  Scandiano,  in- 
sieme  co  i tre  libri  di  Nicolo  de  | gli 
Agostini,  nuouamente  riformato  per  M.  | 

56 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Lodovico  Domenichi,  | Con  Gli  Argo- 
menti,  Le  | Figvre  Accomodate  A1  | prin- 
cipio  d’ogni  Canto,  et  la  tauo  | la  di  do, 
che  nell’opra  | si  contiene.  | Con  gratia,  et 
priuilegio.  | [Printer'' s mark\  In  Vinegia 
appresso  Girolamo  Scotto.  | MDXXXXV. 
Quarto. 

The  first  edition  of  Ludovico  Domenichi’s  recasting. 


Doni,  Anton  Francesco,  was  born  at  Florence 
about  1513,  and  died  at  Monselice  (Padua)  in  1574. 
He  lived  a wandering  life  and  gained  a scanty  sub- 
sistence by  his  writings,  most  of  which  were  humor- 
ous or  satirical.  He  had  only  a temporary  vogue. 
At  one  time  he  opened  a printing-office  at  Florence, 
but  soon  closed  it  on  account  of  Torrentino’s  com- 
petition. 

67  La  Libraria  Del  | Doni  Fiorentino,  | Di- 
visa In  Tre  Trattati.  I . . . Con  Privilegio.  | 
[Printer's  mark\  In  Vinegia  Appresso 
Gabriel  | Giolito  De’ Ferrari.  | M D LVIII. 
Octavo.  Portraits. 

Many  copies  bear  on  the  title-page  the  year  Mdlvii. 
The  Prima  Libraria  was  published  for  the  first  time 
in  1550  (Venice,  Giolito);  and  the  Seconda  in  1551 
(Venice,  Marcolini).  This  edition  embraces  both, 
though  the  earlier  editions  each  have  something  miss- 
ing in  this.  They  form  the  first  Italian  biographical 
essays. 


57 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Firenzuola,  Agnolo,  was  bom  at  Florence, 
September  28,  1493.  Being  destined  for  the  profes- 
sion of  the  law,  he  pursued  his  studies  first  at  Siena, 
and  afterwards  at  Perugia,  where  he  became  the 
associate  of  Pietro  Aretino.  He  left  Rome,  whither 
he  had  come  to  practice  his  profession,  on  the  death 
of  Pope  Clement  VII,  and,  after  spending  some  time 
at  Florence,  settled  at  Prato  as  abbot  of  San  Salvatore. 
He  died  before  1548. 

Firenzuola  was  the  author  of  satirical  poems,  son- 
nets, prose  essays,  novels,  and  dramas. 

68  [Prose.]  In  Venetia  Per  Giouan.  Griffio  | 
Ad  instantia  di  Pietro  Boseli.  | MDLII. 

Duodecimo.  Eour  voluines  in  one. 

The  Discacciamento  delle  miove  Lettere  inutilmente 
aggiunte  nelle  lingua  toscana,  contained  in  this  vol- 
ume, had  been  printed  at  Rome  by  Ludovico  Vi- 
centino  and  Lautizio  Perugino  in  1524.  Firenzuola, 
who  wrote  the  pamphlet  against  Trissino’s  proposed 
introduction  of  new  letters  into  the  Italian  alphabet, 
did  much  to  make  the  scheme  famous  and  ridiculous. 

69  Le  Rime  | Di  M.  Agnolo  Firenzvola  | 
Fiorentino.  | \Printer' sinarkflnYior^nz'd..  \ 
MDXLIX. — [Colofhon)ln  Fiorenza  | Ap- 
presso  I Bernardo  Givnti.  | MDXLIX. 

Octavo. 

The  first  edition.  Firenzuola  published  only  one 
work,  the  Discacciamento  delle  nuove  Lettere,  during 
his  lifetime.  After  his  death  his  brother  Girolamo 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

collected  his  writings  and  gave  them  to  Lorenzo 
Scala  and  Lodovico  Domenichi  to  be  edited.  They 
were  all  published  at  Florence,  between  1548  and 
1549,  except  the  translation  of  Apuleius’  Asino  d'oro, 
which  was  printed  at  Venice  by  Giolito  in  1550- 

70  I Lvcidi  I Comedia  | Di  Messer  Agnolo  | 
Firenzvola  Fio-  | Rentino.  | [Printer's 
mark\  In  Firenze  | M.D.LII. — {^Colophon') 
In  Firenze  | Apresso  I Giunti.  | MDLII. 

Octavo. 

Forteguerri,  Niccolb,  who  used  the  pseudo- 
nym CarteromaCO,  was  born  at  Pistoia  in  1674, 
and  died  in  1735. 

71  Ricciardetto  | Di  | Niccolo  Carteromaco.  | 
In  Parigi  ( Venice)  | A spese  di  Francesco 
Pitteri  Libraio  | Viniziano.  | CIO  10 CC 
XXXVIII. 

Qiiarto.  Portrait.  Two  volumes. 

First  edition,  containing  passages  which  were  subse- 
quently altered  or  suppressed. 

The  origin  of  the  poem  was  as  follows : 

In  1715  Forteguerri  was  spending  the  autumn  in 
the  country,  where  he  amused  his  friends  by  reading 
the  verses  of  Pulci,  of  Berni,  and  of  Ariosto.  One 
of  the  company  expressed  his  admiration  at  the  art 
with  which  these  poets  had  overcome  the  difficulties 
of  the  ottava  rima.  Forteguerri  maintained  that  the 
difficulty  was  imaginary,  and  engaged  to  produce,  on 
the  next  evening,  the  first  canto  of  a poem  which 


59 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

should  imitate  them  all.  He  fulfilled  his  promise 
with  such  success  that  his  friends  persuaded  him  to 
continue  the  story. 

Fortunio,  Francesco,  was  born  in  Dalmatia, 
and  lived  in  Venice  as  a lawyer;  he  was  elected 
potesta  of  Ancona,  where,  during  a revolution,  he 
was  cast  out  of  a window  of  the  palace  and  died. 

72  Regole  Grammaticali  | Della  Volgar 
Lingva. — {^Colophon)  Impresso  in  Ancona 
per  Bernardin  Vercellese  nel  anno.  M.D. 
XVI.  del  I mese  di  settembre : Con  la  con- 
cessione  nondimeno  della  Illustrissima  Si- 
gnoria  | di  Venetiache  per.X.anninessuno 
sotto  al  suo  dominio  possa  imprimerlo  | ne 
altroue  impresso  uenderlo,  sanza  licentia 
dell’  auttore  proprio. 

Quarto. 

First  edition ; the  oldest  printed  Italian  grammar. 

Apostolo  Zeno,  in  his  notes  to  Fontanini,  cites 
fifteen  editions.  Although  it  is  not  useful  to-day,  it 
is  worthy  of  consideration  as  the  first  book  contain- 
ing grammatical  rules  cited  from  Dante,  Petrarch, 
and  Boccaccio. 


Galilei,  Galileo,  was  born  at  Pisa,  February, 
1564,  and  died  at  Arcetri,  near  Florence,  January  8, 
1642. 


60 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

73  Galilaei  | Galilaei  | Lyncei,  Academiae  | 
Pisanae  Mathematid,  | Seren"}*  Magni- 
Dvds  Hetrvriae  | Philosophi  et  Mathema- 
tid Primarij  | Systema  Cosmicvm:  | Jn 
Qvo  I Dialogis  IV.  de  duobus  maxi- 
mis  Mundi  Systematibus,  | Ptolemaico  & 
Copernicano,  | Rationibus  vtrinque  pro- 
positis  indefinite  disseritur.  | Accessit  loco- 
rum  S.  Scripturae  cum  terrae  mobilitate 
conciliatio.  | Lvgdvni,  Sumptibus  loan. 
Antonii  Hvgvetan,  | via  Mercatoria,  ad 
insigne  Sphaerae.  | M.DC.XLI. 

Quarto. 

A Latin  translation,  by  Matthaeus  Berneggerus,  of 
the  original  Italian  work  which  was  rigorously  sup- 
pressed by  order  of  the  Inquisition. 

“Perhaps  it  is  the  best  prose  that  Italy  has  ever 
had ; it  is  clear,  goes  straight  to  the  point,  is  without 
rhetorical  ornaments  and  without  vulgar  slips,  artistic 
without  appearing  to  be  so.” — Bartoli. 


Giraldi,  Giovanni  Battista,  surnamed 

Cinthio,  was  born  at  Ferrara  in  1504.  He  was 
for  many  years  professor  of  medicine  and  philosophy 
at  the  university  of  his  native  town,  and  afterwards  of 
belles-lettres.  Between  1542  and  1560  he  acted  as 
private  secretary,  first  to  Ercole  II  and  afterwards  to 
Alfonso  II  of  Este ; but  having  become  involved  in 
a literary  dispute  which  lost  him  the  favor  of  his 
patron,  he  moved  to  Mondovi,  where  he  remained  as 
a teacher  of  literature  until  1568.  Subsequently  he 

61 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italiafi  Books 

occupied  the  chair  of  rhetoric  at  Pavia  till  1573,  when, 
in  search  of  health,  he  returned  to  his  native  city, 
where  he  died  December  30  of  the  same  year. 

74  De  Gli  I Hecatommithi  | Di  M.  Giovan- 
battista  | Gyraldi  Cynthio  | Nobile  Fer- 
rarese.  | Parte  Prima  [and  Seconda\  | 
^Printer's  mark\  Nel  Monte  Regale  | Ap- 
presso  Lionardo  Torrentino  | MDLXV. 
Octavo.  Two  volumes. 

The  first  edition. 

This  copy  bears  the  signature  of  Giraldi.  The 
Hecatommithi  are  the  most  important  of  Giraldi’s 
prose  works.  Somewhat  in  the  manner  of  Boccaccio, 
they  resemble  still  more  closely  the  novels  of  Giral- 
di’s contemporary  Bandello.  “ They  were  heavy  in 
style  and  prosaic  ; yet  their  matter  made  them  widely 
popular.”  They  have  a peculiar  interest  to  students 
of  English  literature,  as  having  furnished,  directly  or 
indirectly,  the  plots  of  Measure  for  Measure  and 
Othello  of  Shakespeare. 


Grazzini,  Antonfrancesco,  was  bom  at 

Florence,  March  22,  1503.  In  his  youth  he  practised 
as  an  apothecary.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  Accademia  degli  Umidi  (Academy  of  the  Humid), 
and  he  took  a prominent  part  in  the  establishment  of 
the  famous  Accademia  della  Crusca.  In  both  acad- 
emies he  was  known  as  II  Lasca  (the  Roach),  and 
this  pseudonym  is  frequently  substituted  for  his 
proper  name.  He  died  February  18,  1584.  Graz- 
zini “was  one  of  the  chief  promoters  of  the  move- 

62 


D E G L I 

HECATOMMITHI 

DI  M.  GIOVANBATTISTA 
GYRALDI  CINTHIO 

NOBILE  FERRAKESE. 
PARTE  PRIMA 


Ac  03  0 Boyyo  YXI  T I L I O 
B o.  (>' 

CM.  d(Xi/ler  cfifctj)-  car 
Ad.  'V  d> 

[ No.  74  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


ment  for  prescribing  a standard  of  pure  Tuscan 
prose.”  His  style,  though  idiomatic,  is  copious, 
flexible,  and  without  affectation. 


75  La  Gverra  | De  Mostri  | D’Antonfran- 
cesco  Grazzini  | Detto  II  Lasca.  | A1 
Padre  Stradino.  | Con  privilegio  Di  Tvtte 
L’Opere.  | In  Firenze,  | Per  Domenico 
Manzani,  1584. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

An  exceedingly  rare  work  containing  one  canto  of 
a Poema  giocoso  which  was  to  have  been  followed  by 
other  cantos. 

Guarini,  Giovan  Battista,  was  born  at  Fer- 
rara, December  10,  1537,  and  died  at  Venice,  October 
4,  1612. 

76  II  I Pastor  I Fido.  | Tragicomedia  Pas- 
torale. I Del  Molto  Illvstre  | Sig.  Caualiere 
Battista  Guarini.  | . . . Con  Privilegio.  | 
In  Venetia  Appresso  Gio.  Battista  Ciotti 
M.D.C.V. 

Quarto.  Portrait. 

The  Pastor  Fido  is  a pastoral  drama  composed  not 
without  reminiscences  of  Tasso’s  Aminta.  It  met 
with  brilliant  success  and  was  translated  into  the 
principal  languages  of  Europe. 

“ . . . The  Italian  reaction  against  the  middle 
ages  assumes  a final  shape  of  hitherto  unapprehended 

64 


COMO  EL  MESCHTNO  VENE  DALSOLDANO 
CON  LO  KE  ETCOMOlofece  Capkaniodetutala 
fuagenteo  .C.  .C.  VII. 

A poi  sure  qlle  cofTe  dete  ordied!  an  dare  i Babiloia 
d de  lo  Soldao  e raduno.xl.milia  de  faracini  dc  mFte 

parte  e prima  dapolifmagna  da  fenofi  da  tropoli  e 
da  polif berde  lixola  de  tutia  e uerifota  cita  cartif^ 
mandonocjiialea  pie  del  monte  libiciaprefo  Alcairo.  cento 
miglia  feceua  el  Mefchino  aodare  la  gente  molto  in  ponro 
in  (^uatro  fchieremolco  fe  meraulaua  el  Re  delbelo  ordine.i 
duidiazonfenoauna  cicadita  monpiafmagna  prefTo  AL 
Cairo  a trc  ziornate  qui  madono  adire  che  andauano  dal  Sol 
dano  E caiialcono  poi  rre  ziorrii  dC  efTendo  apreffo  alcairo  a 
x.milia  fcontrono  el  Soldano  con  grande  moltitudine  dc  ge 
teefcnrendo  el  Mefchino  comoel  Soldano  era  con  grande 
a preiTo  fu  la  campana  fe  frezo  molto  de  far  andare  le  gertte 
molto  ordiateeintro  inanzia  tuta  la  gente  &andointorno 
per  uedere  fe  alamo  ufma  fuora  dela  fua  fchiera  El  Soldano 
con  uind  cauali  era  de  nanzi  a ruta  la  f aa  gente  e fcrmofi  per 
uedere  c quanto  li  paruepiu  bela  gente  che  non  folena  per  Id 
tempo  paffato  folo  p lo  andare  ordinati  e uenedo  uerfo  loro 
fo  dko  al  Mefchino  quelo  e lo  foldano  ando  uerfo  lui  8^  effe 
do  armaco  a tote  arme  fe  zito  da  caualo  i cinochioni  denazi 
al  foldano.E  lui  lo  fecc  montarea  caualo  eremontato  molto 
regrado  el  foldano  che  lo  hauea  fato  cauare  de  prexde.E  lui 
fece  chiamareel  Re  Polifmagna  diffeli  o nobele  re  fina  qflo 
giorno  te  o renuto  e!  piu  fauio  Re  degipto  . ma  hora  no  me 
pare  qoefo  che, tore  tieni  conzofia  che  neli  mo  iudicii  te  o tro 
uato  difereto efcriuefti  che  noide  raxone  iudicafiemo  da 
collui  a pallori  e fcriuefll  me  no  cognoffere  li  fad  de  queflo 
nobile  cauaiiero  o che fl-ul dcia  canon  cognofere  lui  no  auer 
SCO  de  iadrone  «E  piu  falafli  a rednirlo  in  prcxone  ma  li  pa^ 
Hori  del beftiame qlu<^ end  magiore  o uero  megliore ladrde 
e uokofe  al  Mefchio.8C  domadolo  come  lui  hauea  nome  lui 


[No.  77] 


ni  fmn  nelfuo  J,re  narJo  come  egh  emm«o  3c  TcUmoneJl  mU  cha 
f,u  ?rf/t  TroM  cl  eempo  del  forte  Hercole.  Et  coft  mettec  cwntHc  perCo^ 

mcmM,&grmofcinhogodife,&mfcocimperpiccere  die  seme  & 

ferhmere  hcoM  ccufc.  Et  iucMc  ccufc  i hide  per  cegione  di  meU  ’coh 
domemo  not  reare  net  no^ro  pcrlcmemo  un'dtre  eofc  buonc.  & picceuole  ft 
eomefece  Cctelhiufcufcndofiddlc  congkretione  chefece  in  Rome  ehe  fece 
ttm  gixffc  eofc  per  coprire  quelle  rec  dicendo  eglu^Efictc  mic  nfcn^c  di  Ln 

me^mufclimifmndklorocmfe^  ^ ^ 


in  Rom  in  Cmpo  diTlore  per.M.  Vclerlo  Dorico 
Luigi  FrcteUi  Brefeiem^neWAnno.  ’ 

M.  D.  XLVr. 


[ No.  78  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

loveliness  in  the  Aminta  [of  Tasso]  and  the  Pastor 
Fido.  They  complete  and  close  the  Renaissance,  be- 
queathing in  a new  species  of  art  its  form  and 
pressure  to  succeeding  generations.” — Symonds. 

Guerino  il  Meschino. 

77  Prohemium  . . c.i.  | Como  lasciata  di 
Borgogna  funo  segnori  de  puglia  & del 
pri  I . . . — ( Colophon)  Lo  infelice  Guerino 
dito  Meschino  fiolo  de  dio  Marte  | de 
sangue  Reale  de  Franzia  Magnifico  & | 
ualleroso  {sic)  Capitanio  qui  felicemente  | 
lo  libro  suo  fornito  e in  Padua  | adi.  xxi. 
de  Aurile  |.M.cccc.Lxxiii.  | Bartholomeus 
de  Valdezochio  ciuis  Patauus  | Martinus 
de  septem  arboribus  Prutenus.  . F.F. 

Folio. 

The  first  edition ; only  three  or  four  copies  are 
known, 

Gamba  and  other  bibliographers  ascribe  this  prose 
romance  of  chivalry  to  Andrea  Fiorentino. 

Latini,  Brunetto,  was  bom  at  Florence  in  1230, 
and  died  there  in  1294. 

He  was  the  teacher  of  Guido  Cavalcanti,  and  of 
Dante,  who  speaks  of  him,  in  the  fifteenth  canto  of 
the  Inferno,  in  the  following  affectionate  terms : 

“ La  buona  e cara  immagine  paterna 
Di  voi,  quando  nel  mondo  ad  ora  ad  ora 
M’insegnavate  come  I’uom  s’eterna.  ” 

67 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

His  chief  work  was  his  encyclopaedia,  one  of  the 
earliest  attempts  in  the  vulgar  tongue,  which  strove 
to  embrace  the  entire  field  of  what  was  then  known, 
and  from  which  “Dante,  in  common  with  all  his 
contemporaries,  derived  no  small  portion  of  his 
knowledge.” 

78  Retorica  | Di  Ser  Brvnetto  Latini  | in  vol- 
gar  I fiorentino. — {^Colophon')  Stampata  in 
Roma  in  Campo  di  Fiore  per  M.  Valerio 
Dorico,  I et  Luigi  Fratelli  Brefciani,  nell’ 
Anno.  I M.D.XLVI.  [Printer's  mark\ 
Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

This  book  contains  the  translation  of  a part  of  the 
first  book  of  De  Inventione,  accompanied  by  a long 
commentary,  which  gives  it  the  appearance  of  having 
been  written  by  the  commentator  rather  than  by 
Cicero. 


Lodovici,  Francesco  dei,  a writer  of  Venice, 
of  whose  life  nothing  is  known. 

79  Triomphi  Di  Carlo  Di  Messer  | Francesco 
D’l  Lodovici  Vinitiano.  | [ Woodcut\ — 
(Colophon)  II  fine  della  seconda  parte,  et 
di  tutto  esso  libro,  intitolato  I Triomphi 
Di  I Carlo,  di  Messer  Francesco  d’i  Lo- 
douici  Vinitiano,  Stampato  in  Vinegia 
per  I Mapheo  Pasini  et  Francesco  Bin- 
doni  compagni  al  segno  dell’  angiolo  Ra- 
68 


HI  ST  O RIE 

DI  NICOLO  MACHIAVELLI 

CITTADINO  ET  SECRETARIO 
FIORENTINO. 

A L 

SANTISSIMO  ET  BEATISSIMO 

PADRE  SIGNORE  NOSTRO 

CLEMENTE  V 1 1. 

Pont.  Mass. 


M. 


D. 

[ No.  8o  ] 


L. 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

phaello  ap-  | presso  san  Moise  Panno 
della  nostra  salute  MDXXXV.  del  mese 
di  Set-  I tembre.  . . . 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

Lodovici  wrote  another  romance  of  chivalry  entitled 
A^itheo  Gigante  (Venice,  Bindoni  et  Pasini,  1523), 
which  tells  of  Charlemagne’s  adventures  with  the 
giant  Ant^o. 

Machiavelli,  Niccolb,  was  bom  at  Florence, 
May  3,  1469;  he  died  June  22,  1527. 

80  [Complete  Works.]  {^Geneva  by  Pierre 
Aubert  {?))  M.D.L. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition,  called  dalla  Testina,  because  it 
bears  on  the  title-page  a small  head  of  Machiavelli, 
printed  for  the  first  time  in  the  Discorsi,  at  Venice, 
by  Comino  da  Trino,  1540. 

81  Discorsi  Di  Nicolo  Machia-  | Velli,  Fi- 
rentino,  Sopra  | La  Prima  Deca  Di  | Tito 
Divio,  I Nuouamente  corretti,  et  con  som- 
ma  I diligenza  ristampati.  | [Aldus'  device^ 

{Colophon)  In  Vinegia,  NelP 
Anno  M.D.  | XL.  In  Casa  De’  Figlivo-  | 
Li  Di  Aldo. 

Octavo. 


70 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italia^i  Books 

The  first  edition  printed  by  Aldus.  It  is  a reprint 
of  a little  known  edition,  made  at  Venice,  by  Giov. 
Antonio  di  Nicolini  e Fratelli  da  Sabbio,  in  1532. 

“Cast  in  the  form  of  comments  on  the  history  of 
Livy,  the  Discorsi  are  really  an  inquiry  into  the 
genesis  and  maintenances  of  states.  ...” 

Malespini,  Ricordano,  of  the  noble  family 
of  Malespini,  was  the  earliest  writer  of  Florentine 
history.  He  died  in  1281. 

82  Historia  | Antica  Di  | Ricordano  Male- 
spini I Gentir  huomo  Fiorentino  | Dali’ 
edificazione  di  Fiorenza  per  insino  | all’ 
anno  M.CCLXXXI.  | Con  I’aggiunta  di  | 
Giachetto  Svo  Nipote  | Dal  detto  anno 
per  insino  al  | 1286.  | Nvovamente  Posta 
in  Lvce.  | Con  Licenza  de  Superiori.  | 
[Printer's  mark\  In  Fiorenza  | Nellastam- 
peria  de  i Giunti  | M.D.LXVIIL  | Con 
Priuilegio. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

The  nephew,  who  continued  the  chronicle  from 
Ricordano’s  death  to  the  year  1286,  was  Giachetto 
di  Francesco  Malespini.  Giovanni  Villani  copied 
freely  from  Malespini’ s work  without  making  recog- 
nition of  his  indebtedness. 


Medici,  Lorenzo  de’,  called  ii  Magnifico, 
was  born  about  1449,  and  died  April  8,  1492. 


71 


POBSIE  VOLGARI, 

NVOVAMENTE 

STAMPATE, 


DI  LORENZO 

DF  MEDICI, 

che  fxi  padre  di  Papa  Leone : 

Col  commmto  id  meiefimo  p^rd  dlcunl  de  fuoifoncttu 


con  frmlcgio  dd  ?ontefice  j ^ddld  signorlddi 
\inegid  j ferdnm  XX. 

IN  VINEGIA,  M.  D.  LIIII* 


f No.  83  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

83  Poesie  Volgari,  | Nvovamente  Stampate, 
Di  Lorenzo  De’  Medici,  | che  fu  padre  di 
Papa  Leone : | Col  commento  del  mede- 
simo  sopra  alcuni  de’  suoi  sonetti. — {Colo- 
phon) In  Vinegia,  | In  Casa  De’  Figlivoli  | 
Di  Aldo,  M.D.LIIII. 

Octavo. 

The  first  edition. 


Novelle  Antiche,  Cento. 

84  Libro  Di  | Novelle,  Et  Di  Bel  | Parlar 
Gentile.  | Nel  quale  si  contengono  Cento 
Nouelle  altrauolta  | mandate  fuori  da 
Messer  Carlo  | Gualteruzzi  da  Fano.  | 
Di  Nuouo  Ricorrette.  | Con  aggiunta  di 
quattro  altre  nel  fine.  | Et  con  vna  dichia- 
ratione  d’alcune  delle  voci  piu  antiche.  | 
Con  Licenza,  Et  Privilegio.  | [Frinter’^s 
mark]  In  Fiorenza.  | Nella  Stamperia  de 
i Giunti.  I M D LXXIL 
Quarto. 

The  first  edition  was  printed  at  Bologna  by  Benedetti, 
1525,  and  was  published  by  Gualteruzzi  with  Bembo’s 
assistance. 

This  is  one  of  the  earliest  books  written  in  the 
Italian  language.  According  to  Federigo  Ubal- 
dini  and  Magliabecchi,  the  author  of  some  of  the 
tales  was  Francesco  da  Barberino. 

These  cento  novelle  are  considered  testi  di  lingua, 

73 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


and  were  the  foundation  of  some  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful tales  of  succeeding  writers,  including  Chaucer 
and  other  early  English  poets. 


Palmieri,  Matt60,  was  bom  at  Florence  about 
1405.  He  was  appointed  to  several  public  offices, 
among  them  the  supreme  office  of  Gonfaloniere  di 
Giustizia.  He  died  in  1475.  His  works  are  written 
chiefly  in  prose,  and  comprise  a general  chronicle 
from  the  creation  of  the  world  to  his  time,  a life  of 
Niccolo  Acciaioli,  the  book  De  captivitate  Pisarum, 
the  annals  of  the  Florentines  (1432-74),  and  a history 
of  the  translation  of  the  body  of  St.  Barbara.  He 
wrote  also  a poem  in  terza  ritJia,  in  imitation  of 
Dante,  entitled  Cittd  di  Vita,  which  was  praised  by 
Marsilio  Ficino. 

85  Libro  Della  Vita  Ci-  | Vile  Composta  Da  | 
Mattheo  Palmieri  | Cittadino  Fiorentino.  | 
[^Printer’s  mai'k\ — {^Colophon)  In  Firenze 
per  li  heredi  di  Philippo  | di  Giunta  ne 
I’anno  del  Signore  | M.D.XXIX.  alii  5. 
di  I Settembre. 

Octavo. 

The  first  edition. 


Pescatore,  Giovanni  Battista,  was  bom  at 

Ravenna,  and  died  in  1558.  He  wrote  other  works, 
which  are : Vendetta  di  Ruggiero  (Venice,  Comin  da 
Trino,  1556),  and  a comedy,  Nina  (Venice,  Comin 


Original  a7id  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

da  Trino,  1558).  The  Morte  di  Ruggiero  and  the 
Vendetta  di  Ruggiero  are  a continuation  of  Orlando 
Furioso. 

86  La  Morte  Di  Rvg-  | Giero  Continvata 
Alla  Ma-  | teria  de  I’Ariosto,  con  ogni 
riuscimento  di  | tutte  I’imprese  generose 
da  lui  pro-  | poste,  e non  fornite.  | Ag- 
giontovi  Mold  Beilis-  | simi  successi,  che 
a Talto  apparecchio  di  quel  | diuino  Poeta 
seguir  debbono.  | Con  Le  Allegorie  Ad 
Ogni  I canto,  che  possono  leuare  I’intel- 
letto  a I comprendere  gli  effetti  de  la  | 
virtu,  e del  vitio.  | Per  Giovambattista  | 
pescatore  da  Rauenna  noua-  | mente  com- 
posta.  I Con  Privilegio.  | [BrinteFs  mark\ 
In  Venetia  | Per  Pauolo  Gherardo.  | 
M D injSl\\\.—  {Coloplio7i)  In  Vinetia 
per  Comin  da  Trino  | di  Monferrato 
L’anno.  | M.D.XLVIII. 

Quarto. 

Petrarca,  Francesco,  was  bom  at  Arezzo, 
July  20,  1304,  and  died  at  Arqua,  July  18,  1374. 

He  was  “eminent  in  the  history  of  literature  both 
as  one  of  the  four  classical  Italian  poets,  and  also  as 
the  first  true  reviver  of  learning  in  mediaeval  Europe.” 

Symonds. 

87  [Sonetti,  Canzoni  e Trionfi.]  Tabula 
Francisci  petrarce. — {At  the  e7id)  Finis. 

Quarto. 


75 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Manuscript  on  vellum,  written  in  Italy  during  the 
XVth  century. 

88  [Sonetti,  Canzoni  e Trionfi.]  {Colophon) 
Francisci  petrarcae  laureati  poetae  | nec- 
non  secretarii  apostolici  | benemeriti. 
Rerum  | uulgarium  fragmen-  | ta  ex  ori- 
ginali  | libro  extracta  | In  urbe  pa  | 
tauina  li  | ber  abso  | lutus  est  | foe- 
lici  I ter.  | Bar.  de  Valde.  patauus.  F.F.  | 
Martinus  de  septem  arboribus  Prutenus.  | 
M.CCCC.LXXII.  1 Die  .VI.  No  [ ven  | 
birs.  i^Sic) 

Folio. 

The  third  edition.  One  of  the  few  copies  which  have 
the  first  page  in  capital  letters. 

The  peculiar  interest  of  this  edition  is  that  it  was 
printed  from  Petrarch’s  autograph  manuscript,  and 
that  the  account  of  Laura,  which  faces  the  first  page 
of  the  Sonnets,  was  here  published  for  the  first  time. 


89  [Trionfi.] 

[N]  EL  TENPO  I CHE  RIN  | VOVA. 
I I MIEI.  SO  I SPIRI.  I per  la  dolce  me- 
moria  di  quel  giorno  | . 

Octavo. 

A manuscript,  on  vellum,  of  the  second  half  of  the 
XVth  century.  The  first  page  is  embellished  with 
an  illuminated  capital  letter  and  border. 

76 


F dice  fafjo^chel  hel  uifo  ferrd  t 
che  poi  r^durd.ripre/o  il  fuo  hel  ueh\ 
Se  fu  heato^chi  Id  uide  m terrdl 
H or  che  fid  dmque  d riuederla  in  delo  ? 


fmprejja  m vlne^d  mile  afe  £ Mo  Komano, 
net  dnno >M.Dl  •del  mefi  di  Luglio,  et  tvlto  con 
fommiffima  dili^n'^  ddllo  fcritto  di  nUno  me 
defima  del  Voeia^hdmfv  da  H-VieroBemho 
Con  Id  conceffione  delldlllufiriffima  ft 
gnond  nofira  , che  per  • x • dnni 
mffino  pofjk  fidtnpdre  il 
Petrarchd  fotto  k 
pene , che  in  lei 
fi  conten 


[ No.  91  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

90  DOMINI  FRAN  | CISCI  PE- 
TRARCE  I POETAE  CLARISSI  | MI 
TRIVMFORVM  | LIBER  INCIPIT  | 
ET  PRIMO  DE  AMORE.  | \A  minia- 
ture represefiting  Petrarch^  seated  in  a fields 
reading  a book.\  [N]E1  tempo  che  rinoua 
i mei  suspiri  [ . . . 

Quarto. 

A manuscript,  on  vellum,  of  the  second  half  of  the 
XVth  century. 

91  Le  Cose  Volgari  | Di  Messer  | Francesco 
Petrarca. — ( Colophon')  Impresso  in  Vinegia 
nelle  case  d’  Aldo  Romano,  | nel  anno. 
MDI.  del  mese  di  Luglio,  et  tolto  con  | 
sommissima  diligenza  dallo  scritto  di  mano 
me  I desima  del  Poeta,  hauuto  da  M. 
Piero  Bembo  | Con  la  concessione  della 
Illustrissima  Si  | gnoria  nostra,  che  per.  x. 
anni  | nessuno  possa  stampare  il  | Pe- 
trarcha  sotto  le  | pene,  che  in  lei  | si  con- 
ten  I gono. 

Octavo. 

This  is  the  famous  edition  printed  from  the  auto- 
graph manuscript  of  the  author,  which  Bembo  gave 
to  Aldus.  It  was  the  first  Italian  book  from  the 
Aldine  press,  and  shows  the  results  of  experiments 
made  by  Aldus  to  reduce  the  size  of  printing  types. 
“Legend  says  that  the  new  letters  were  copied 

78 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


exactly  from  the  handwriting  of  Petrarch,  inclining 
like  all  cursive  writing;  the  name  Italic  was  given 
to  this  character,  which  was  also  called  Aldine,  from 
its  inventor.” 


92  Librorum  Francisci  Petrarchae  Basileae  | 
Impressorum Annotatio.  | . . . — [Colophon) 
Explicit  Liber  Augustalis  : Beneuenuti  de 
Rambaldis  cum  pluribus  alijs  opusculis  | 
Francisci  Petrarchae.  Impressis  Basileae 
per  Magistrum  Johannem  de  Amerbach : 
Anno  I salutiferi  uirginalis  partus:  Nona- 
gesimosexto  supra  millesimum  quaterque 
centesimum.  — [Following)  Principalium 
sententiarum  ex  libris  Francisci  | Pe- 
trarchae collectarum  summaria  Annotatio. 

Folio. 


93  [De  remediis  utriusque  fortunae]  [c]Vm 
res  fortunasque  hominum  cogito  incertos 
et  subitos  | rerum  motus  . . . — [At  the 
end)  Explicit  liber  iste  de  remedys  | vtri- 
usque  fortune  domini  francisci  | petrarche 
laureati  poete,  etc. 

Folio. 

The  first  edition,  probably  printed  at  Strasburg  in 
1472-73,  by  H.  Eggesteyn. 

79 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Piccolomini,  Alessandro,  was  bom  at  Siena 
in  1508.  He  was  professor  of  ethics  in  the  acad- 
emy of  Infiammati  at  Padua,  and  afterwards  was 
appointed  archbishop  of  Patras.  He  died  in  1578. 
Piccolomini  wrote  several  works,  among  which  are 
Rime,  comedies,  a dialogue  entitled  Rafaella,  Dia- 
logo  della  bella  creanza  delle  donne,  the  Sfera  del 
mondo,  a paraphrase  on  the  Mechanics  of  Aristotle,  a 
translation  of  the  sixth  book  of  the  ^neid  and  one 
of  Ovid’s  Metamorphoses. 

94  De  La  Institvtione  | Di  Tvtta  La  Vita 
De  L’Homo  | Nato  Nobile  | E In 
Cittk  Libera.  | Libri  X.  In  Lingva  To- 
scana. I . . . Composti  dal  S.  | Alessandro 
Piccolomini  ...  | Con  Pri-  \PrinteRs 
mark\  vilegio.  | Venetijs  apud  Hierony- 
mum  Scotum.  | M D XLII. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

Piccolomini  in  this  work  cites  Plato  and  Aristotle 
on  the  education  of  gentlemen  born  in  a free  city. 

Pico  della  Mirandola,  Giovanni,  was 

born  at  Mirandola  in  1463  ; he  died  at  Florence  in 
1494.  His  works  were  all  published  by  his  nephew, 
Giov.  Francesco  Pico. 

95  loannis  Pici  Mirandulae  omnia  opera.  | 
. . . ^Printer's  niark\ — {^Colophon)  Dispu- 
tationes  loannis  Pici  Nirandulae  {sic) 

80 


Original  and  Early  Editmis  of  Italian  Books 

literarum  | principis  aduersus  astrologiam 
diuinatri-  | cem  quibus  penitus  subneruata 
corru-  I it  Parisijs  loannis  parui  Impen-  | 
sa  fideliter  & Impresse  & elima  | te.  Anno 
salutis  Millesimo  | quingentesimo  decimo  | 
septimo  die  nona  | Mensis  lunij. 

Folio. 

Poliziano,  Angelo  Ambrogini,  known  in 

literary  annals  as  Angelo  Poliziano  or  Politianus 
from  his  birthplace,  was  born  at  Montepulciano  in 
1454.  His  genius  was  early  manifested,  and  Lorenzo 
de’  Medici  took  him  into  his  house,  made  him  the 
tutor  of  his  children,  and  gave  him  a distinguished 
post  in  the  University  of  Florence.  He  died  in  1494. 

96  Stanze  Di  | Messer  Angelo  Politiano  | Co- 
minciate  per  la  gio  | stra  del  Magnifico  | 
Giuliano  di  Pie-  | ro  de  Medici. — {^Colo- 
phon) Impresso  in  Bologna  per  Hieronymo 
di  Be  I nedetti.  Nellanno  del  Signore. 
M.D.XX. 

Octavo. 

These  famous  Stanze  which  were  written  by  Poli- 
ziano at  the  age  of  fourteen,  are  considered  amongst 
the  most  graceful  Italy  has  produced.  The  Orfeo, 
recited  at  Mantua  probably  in  1472,  is  called  the 
earliest  example  of  Italian  tragedy. 

Pulci,  Bernardo,  a brother  of  Luigi  Pulci, 
flourished  about  the  end  of  the  XVth  century. 

81 


Origmal  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

97  [Passione,  Resurrezione,  Vendetta  and 
Giudizio  di  Cristo.] 

Eolio. 

A manuscript,  on  paper,  of  the  XVth  century. 

The  Passione  and  Resurrezione  were  printed  at 
Florence  about  the  end  of  the  XVth  century.  The 
Vendetta  and  Giudizio  were  written  by  Monna  An- 
tonia, the  wife  of  Bernardo,  and  were  printed  for  the 
first  time  at  Florence  in  1491. 

Pulci,  Luigi,  the  intimate  friend  and  confidential 
agent  of  Lorenzo  de’  Medici,  was  born  at  Florence, 
December  3,  1432,  and  died  in  1487. 

98  Morgante  | Maggiore  Di  | Lvigi  Pvlci  Fi- 
rentino,  | . . . | InVenetia  | PerCominde 
Trinodi  I Monferrato, I’anno  | M.D.XLVI. 

Quarto. 

The  date  1545  appears  at  the  end  of  the  book,  which 
would  make  it  seem  probable  that  the  work  was  pub- 
lished at  that  time,  and,  some  copies  remaining  unsold, 
a new  title-page  added  the  next  year. 

The  Morgante  Maggiore  has  been  called  the  “first 
really  great  modern  example  of  burlesque  poetry.” 
There  are  traces  of  its  influence  in  almost  every 
literature. 


Redi,  Francesco,  physician  and  naturalist,  was 
born  at  Arezzo  in  1626,  and  died  at  Pisa  in  1698. 

82 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


99  Bacco  | In  | Toscana.  | Ditirambo  | Di  | 
Francesco  Redi  | Accademico  Della 
Crvsca  | Con  Le  | Annotazioni.  | In 
Firenze,  MDCLXXXV.  | Per  Piero  Ma- 
tini  air  Insegna  del  Lion  d’Oro.  | Con 
licenza  de’  Superiori. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 


Rime  di  diversi  antichi  Autori. 

loo  Rime  Di  Diversi  | Antichi  Avtori  | Tos- 
cani  In  Die  | Ci  Libri  Rac  | Colte.  | Di 
Dante  Alaghieri  Lib.  IIII  | Di  M.  Cino 
da  Pistoia  Libro  I | Di  Guido  Caualcanti 
Libro  I I Di  Dante  da  Maiano  Libro  I | 
Di  Fra  Guittone  d’ Arezzo  Lib.  I | Di 
diuerse  Canzoni  e Sonetti  senza  | nome 
d’autore  Libro  I. — {Colophon)  Stampata 
in  Vinegia  per  lo.  Antonio  e Fratelli  da 
Sabio.  Neir  anno  del  Signore  MDXXX- 
II. 

Octavo. 

Colophon  of  this  copy  missing ; supplied  from  B. 
Gamba,  Serie  dei  Tesfi  di  Lingua  1839,  No.  800. 

This  collection  contains,  among  others,  the  works  of 
Cino  da  Pistoia,  “a  jurist  of  encyclopaedic  erudition, 
as  well  as  a sweet  and  fluent  singer.  ...  In  [him] 
the  artistic  sense  of  the  Italians  awoke  ” ; of  Guido 

83 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 


Cavalcanti,  “the  leader  of  the  group  which  culmi- 
nates in  Dante  ” ; of  Dante  da  Maiano  and  Fra  Guit- 
tone  of  Arezzo,  who  “attempted  more  than  he  was 
able  to  fulfil.  But  his  attempt,  when  judged  by  the 
conditions  of  his  epoch,  deserves  to  rank  among 
achievements.” 


Rosa,  Salvatore,  a renowned  painter  of  the 
Neapolitan  school,  was  born  in  Arenella  in  1615;  he 
died  March  15,  1673. 

loi  Satire  | Di  | Salvator  Rosa  | Dedicate  | 
A Settano.  | Con  Le  Note  | D’ Anton 
Maria  Salvini  | Ora  Per  La  Prima  Vol- 
ta I Date  Alla  Luce.  | In  Berna  | 
MDCCLXIX. 

Octavo. 

The  first  edition  with  Salvini’ s notes.  It  is  unknown 
to  bibliographers. 


SannazarO,  Jacopo,  was  born  at  Naples  in 
1458.  He  studied  under  Pontano,  when,  according 
to  the  fashion  of  the  time,  he  assumed  the  name  of 
Actius  Syncerus.  He  was  patronized  by  Frederick 
HI,  King  of  Naples  ; and  when  his  patron  was  com- 
pelled to  take  refuge  in  France  he  accompanied  him, 
and  did  not  return  to  Italy  till  after  Frederick’s  death 
(1504).  Sannazaro  spent  the  later  years  of  his  life  at 
Naples,  where  he  died  April  27,  1530. 

84 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

102  Arcadia  Del  Sannazaro. — [Colophon)  Im- 
presso  in  Florentia  per  Philippo  di  Giunta 
I nel.  M.D.XIII.  di  Marzo.  Leo  | ne  de- 
cimo  Pontefice. 

Octavo. 

The  Arcadia,  in  which,  in  alternate  prose  and  verse, 
the  scenes  and  occupations  of  pastoral  life  are  de- 
scribed, was  the  work  which  gave  Sannazaro  his 
greatest  fame  ; it  was  so  esteemed  that  in  the  XVIth 
century  over  sixty  editions  of  it  were  published. 

Sarpi,  Paolo,  in  the  order  of  the  Servi  di  Maria, 
Fra  Paolo,  was  born  at  Venice,  August  14,  1552,  and 
died  there,  January  15,  1623.  His  most  celebrated 
work  is  the  Storia  del  Concilia  di  Trento,  published 
for  the  first  time  at  London,  in  1619,  under  the  name 
of  Pietro  Soave  Polano.  In  his  writings.  Fra  Paolo 
attacked  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope  and  condemned 
his  usurpations  of  temporal  power. 

103  Historia  | della  Sacra  | Inqvisitione.  | 
Composta  Gia  Dal  R.P.  | Paolo  Ser- 
vita:  ...  I Jn  Serravalle,  | Appresso  Fa- 
bio  Albicocco.  I M.DC.XXXVIIL 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

A dispute  between  the  Venetian  government  and 
the  Inquisition  led  Sarpi  to  write  this  book. 

‘'As  an  advocate,  Sarpi  is  far  superior  to  . . . 
[Pallavicino] ; as  an  historian,  Ranke  places  him 
immediately  after  Machiavelli.  As  a man,  he  ap- 

85 


PREDICHE  NVOVA'- 

MENTE  VENVTE  IN  LVGE.  DEL  RE 
uerendo  Padre  Fra  Girolamo  Sauonarola  da  Ferrara, 
dell’ordine  de  Frati  predicatori , fopra  il  Salmo 
q V A M BO N VS  Ifrae!  Deus,  Predicate 
in  Firenze,  in  lanta  Maria  del  Fiore  in  uno 
Adueco,  nel.M.  CCCCXCIJI.dal  me# 
demo  poi  in  latina  Ifgua  raccolcetEcda 
Fra  Girolamo  Giannotti  da  Piftoia 
in  lingua  uolgare  tradottej  Et  da 
mold  eccellendflimi  buomini 
diligentemence  riuide  ^ 
emendace:SC  in  lin 
gua  Tofeha 
imprefle» 


[ No.  104  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

pears  sublimed  by  study  and  suffering  into  an  incar- 
nation of  pure  intellect,  passionless,  except  in  his  zeal 
for  truth  and  freedom  and  his  devotion  to  the  Repub- 
lic.”— Garnett. 

Savonarola,  Girolamo,  was  bom  at  Ferrara, 
September  21,  1452,  and  was  executed  at  Florence, 
May  23,  1498. 

104  Prediche  Nvova-  | Mente  Venvte  In  Lvce. 
Del  Re  | uerendo  Padre  Fra  Girolamo 
Sauonarola  da  Ferrara,  | dell’  ordine  de 
Frati  predicatori,  sopra  il  Salmo  Qvam 
Bonvs  Israel  Deus,  Predicate  | in  Firenze, 
in  Santa  Maria  del  Fiore  in  uno  | Aduento, 
nel.  M.CCCCXCIII.  dal  me-  | demo  {sic) 
poi  in  latina  lingua  raccolte : Ft  da  | Fra 
Girolamo  Giannotti  da  Pistoia  | in  lingua 
uolgare  tradotte : Et  da  | molti  eccellen- 
tissimi  huomini  | diligentemente  riuiste  & | 
emendate;  & in  lin  | gua  Toscha  | im- 
presse.  | [ Woodcut\ — ( Colophon)  Stampata 
in  Vinegia  per  Agostino  de  Zanni  | Nel 
mese  di  Giugno  del.  M.D. XXVIII. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 

These  sermons,  although  written  in  Latin,  were 
published  only  in  Italian. 

105  [Expositio  orationis  dominicae]  Frater 
Hieronymvs  Savonaro-  | La  Ferrariensis 

87 


faticae/Iapei-fcueranza/etmoltuo/  lu'fto  in  quefta  cornu 
nione  comindare  bene/etpoi  fanno  lafdati  intiepidire : 
laqualcofae/moltopencolofaietpero  bifogna  granco 
ftantia  danimo  maxime  perche  el  noftro  aduerfario  non 
dorme/elqualefadiquato  fructo  e/frequentare  bene  tan 
to  facrameto/etpero  exdta  moke  perfecutionea  chi  fpeC 
fo  ft  communica  c6 diuooone  / et  mold  exdta  cheftfan 
no  beffe  diloro/et  c6  pfuaftone  diuerfe  gli  fuiano.  State 
aduncheconflrantt  ad  feruare  tucte  quefle  cofe  ift'no  alia 
tnorte/et  non  dace  oreabi  alle  lingue  fanza  fpirico. 


F I N I T A 

E/queftadeuota  et  utile  cxpoft  tionederparernoftfo 
compoflra  dafraHieronyrao  daferratadellor 
dine  de  frati  predi'caton.  Et  una  bella 
epiftola  della  comunione 
auna  deuota  donna 
Bolognefe 
Imprefla 
In  Firenze 
perMaeftro 
Antonio  Mifchomini 
Anno.MCCCCLXXXXIIII. 

[ No.  io6  ] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Ordinis  Praedi  | Catorvm  Philippo  Va- 
lorio  I S.D. — {At  the  end)  Finiis  {sic).  | 
Deo  Gratias. 

Quarto. 

The  original  edition  of  an  Exposition  on  the  Lord’s 

Prayer.  Printed  at  Florence,  about  1492. 

106  Prohemio  sopra  la  expositione  del  Pater 
noster  com  | posta  in  latino  da  fra  Hiero- 
nymo  da  Ferrara  Del  | lordine  de  frati 
predicatori : & traducta  in  uulgare. — ( Colo- 
phon) Finita  | E questa  deuota  et  utile  ex- 
positione del  pater  nostro  | composta  da 
fra  Hieronymo  da  ferrara  dellor  | dine  de 
frati  predicatori.  Et  una  bella  epistola 
della  comunione  | auna  deuota  donna  | 
Bolognese  | Impressa  | In  Firenze  | per 
Maestro  ] Antonio  Mischomini  | Anno. 
M.CCCCLXXXXIIII. 

Quarto. 

The  first  Italian  edition. 


107  Opera  Singolare  Del  Re-  | uerendo  Padre 
F.  Hieronimo  Sauonarola  | contro  L’a- 
strologia  diuinatrice  in  cor-  | roboratione 
delle  refutatione  | astrologiche  del.  S. 
conte  I loan.  Pico  de  la  | Mirandola.  | 
Con  alcune  cose  dil  medemo  {sic)  di  nuouo 
89 

I 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

aggionte.  | ^Printer's  tnark^  In  Vinegia 
{Colophon)  In  Uinegia  per 
M.  Bernardino  | Stagnino  M.D.XXXVI. 
Octavo. 

The  original  edition  was  written  in  Latin,  and  printed 
at  Florence,  at  the  end  of  the  XVth  century. 

This  treatise  against  astrology  was  written  by  Fra 
Girolamo  to  corroborate  the  theories  of  Pico  della 
Mirandola’s  Disputationes  adversus  Astrologos. 


Spagna,  La. 

io8  Libro  | Chiamato  | La  Spagna.  | Qval 
Tratta  Li  Gran  Fatti,  Et  | le  mirabili  bat- 
taglie  che  fece  il  Magnanimo  Re  Carlo  | 
Magno,  nelle  parti  della  Spagna.  | Noua- 
mente  stampato,  etcon  diligentia  ricorretto. 
\Woodcut\ — {Colophon)  In  Venetia.  | Ap- 
presso  Pietro  Donato  1530. 

Octa^vo. 

The  first  edition  was  printed  without  the  printer’s 
name,  the  place  of  publication,  or  date,  but  before 
1480. 

Some  writers  ascribe  this  poem  of  chivalry  to 
Cristoforo  Altissimo,  but  it  was  written  in  the 
XIVth  century,  and  its  author,  according  to  the  last 
stanza,  was  Sostegno  di  Zanobi  of  Florence : 

“A  voi  signori  ho  rimato  tutto  questo 
Sostegno  di  Zenobi  di  Fiorenza.” 


90 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Stampa,  Gaspara,  was  bom  at  Pandua  about 
1523  or  1524  and  died  about  1554.  Sansovino  called 
her  “ nobilissima  ” and  “ valor o sis sima,”  and  he 
dedicated  to  her  the  Ameto  of  Boccaccio,  the  Lezione 
sop7'a  it  Sonetto  del  Casa  conU'o  alia  Gelosia  of  Varchi, 
published  by  him,  and  his  Ragionajnento  intorno 
alia  beWarte  d'Amore.  Ortensio  Lando  calls  her 
“gran  Poetessa”  and  “ Musica  eccellente  ” for  her 
ability  in  singing  and  playing  the  lute  and  the  viol, 

109  Rime  | Di  Madonna  | Gaspara  Stampa;  | 
Con  Alcune  Altre  | Di  Collaltino,  E Di 
Vinciguerra  | Conti  Di  Collalto : E Di 
Baldassare  Stampa.  | Giuntovi  diversi 
componimenti  di  varj  Autori  | in  lode 
dela  medesima.  | In  Venezia.  | MDCC- 
XXXVIII.  I Appresso  Francesco  Pia- 
centini.  | Con  Licenza  de’  Superiori,  e 
Privilegio. 

Octavo. 

Tasso,  Bernardo,  was  born  at  Bergamo,  No- 
vember II,  1493;  he  died  at  Mantua,  September  4, 
1569. 

no  L’Amadigi  Del  | S.  Bernardo  | Tasso.  | A 
LTnvittissimo,  E | Catolico  Re  Filippo.  | 
Con  Privilegi.  | [Giolito's  device^  In  Vine- 
gia  I Appresso  Gabriel  Giolito  | De’  Fer- 
rari. I M D LX. 

Royal  quarto. 


91 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

The  first  edition. 

This  copy  bears  on  the  title-page  the  autograph  of 
Ascanio  Centorio. 


Tasso,  Torquato,  was  born  at  Sorrento,  March 
II,  1544,  and  died  at  Rome,  April  25,  1595. 

Ill  Giervsalemme  | Liberata,  | Poema  Hero- 
ico  del  Signor  Torquato  | Tasso.  | A1 
Serenissimo  Signore ; il  Signor  Donno  | 
Alfonso  II.  d’Este  | Dvca  Di  Ferrara,  &c.  | 
. . .—{^Colophon)  txizxd,  | Appressogli 
Heredi  di  Francesco  de’  Rossi.  | 1581. 

Quarto. 

The  publisher,  Febo  Bonna,  in  the  dedication,  claims 
to  have  transcribed  the  original  manuscript  corrected 
by  Tasso  himself. 

“When  all  has  been  said  that  can  be  said,  the 
Jerusalem  Delivered  remains  a very  great  poem,  the 
greatest  of  all  the  artificial  epics  after  the  j^Dneid  and 
Paradise  Lost  (for  Ariosto’s  poem,  so  frequently  par- 
alleled with  it,  is  not  an  epic  at  all).” — Garnett, 


1 12  Rime  | del  Signor  | Torqvato  | Tasso.  | 
Parte  Prima.  | Insieme  con  altri  componi- 
menti  | del  medesimo.  | Con  Privilegio.  | 
[Aldus'  device]  In  Vinegia,  M D LXXXI. 
Octavo. 


92 


GIERVSALEMME 

L 1 B E R A T A , 

ToemaHerotco  del  Signor  Torquato 

T ^ s S 0. 

Al  Screnifsiiro  Signore ; il  Signor  Donno 

ALFONSO  II.  D'ESTE 

DVCA  DI  FERRARA,  &c. 

I Tratta  dal  vero  Originale , con  agginnta  di  quanro  manca 
nciraitre  Edicdoni,con  rAllegona  dello  fteOo  Aucor<2 
Et  con  gli  Argomenti  4 cHtcun  C4  Ko  4ei  S,.iioj.-Atlu , 

A R I O S r I, 

Con  THuUegh  di  Sua  Santtta ; delte  Maefid  Chrifiiamjfima  : 
Catoiica : della  Senmfiima  Signoria  di  f^tftetsa  ; 

Del  SerentJIimo  Sig*  Dw  c a di  ferrara  ; 
d'altri  Vrincipi  9 


In  Ferrara  l f 8 1 , 


[ No.  Ill] 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Some  of  Tasso’s  poems  had  been  printed  in  collec- 
tions of  poetry  before  Aldus  printed  this  edition. 


1 13  Di  I Gervsalemme  | Conqvistata  | Del 
Sig.Torqvato  Tasso  | LibriXXIV.  | No — 
vellamente  Ristampati:  | Con  Gli  Argo- 
menti  A Ciascvn  Libro  | Del  Signor  Gio. 
Battista  Massarengo ; | ...  [Printer's 

mark\  In  Pavia.  M.D.XCIV.  | Appresso 
Andrea  Viano.  Con  licenza  de’  Supe- 
riori.  | Ad  istanza  di  Antonio  degliAntonij. 

Quarto. 

The  second  edition. 

Three  years  before  his  death  Tasso  wrote  this  revised 
version  oi  the  Gerusalemme  Liberata : . all  that 

made  the  poem  of  his  early  manhood  charming  he 
rigidly  erased.” — Symonds. 


1 14  II  Re  I Torrismondo  | Tragedia  | Del  Sig. 
Torqvato  | Tasso.  | A1  Sereniss““  Sig^.®  | 
Don  Vincenzo  Gonzaga  | Duca  di  Man- 
toua,  & di  Monferrato,  &c.  | [Printer's 
mark\  In  Bergamo,  MDLXXXVII.  | Per 
Comino  Ventura,  et  Compagni. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 


Tassoni,  Alessandro,  was  bom  at  Modena  in 
1565.  He  was  secretary  to  Cardinal  Ascanio  Co- 


94 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

lonna,  and  was  employed  in  several  diplomatic  mis- 
sions. He  died  in  1635. 

15  La  I Secchia  Rapita  | Poema  Eroicomico  | 
Di  I Alessandro  Tassoni  | Tomo  primo 
\and  Secondo\  | In  Parigi  | Appresso  Lo- 
renzo Prault  I e Pietro  Durand  | M.  DCC. 
LXVI. 

Octavo.  Two  volumes. 

The  Secchia  Rapita,  or  the  Rape  of  the  Bucket,  is  the 
best-known  literary  work  of  Tassoni ; it  tells  of  a 
raid  of  the  Modenese  upon  the  people  of  Bologna  in 
1325,  when  a bucket  was  carried  off  as  a trophy. 


Trissino,  Giovan  Giorgio,  poet  and  scholar, 
was  born  at  Vicenza,  July  8,  1478,  and  died  in 
December,  1550. 

“The  most  just  title  to  fame  possessed  by  Tris- 
sino is  founded  on  his  ‘ Sofonisba,’  which  may  be 
considered  as  the  first  regular  tragedy  since  the  re- 
vival of  letters.” — Sismondi. 

16  TO  ZHTOYMENON  [ La  | Italia  Libe- 
rata  | Da  Gotthi  | Del  Trissinct).  | Stam- 
pata  in  Rwma  per  Vakriw  | e Luigi  Do- 
rici  I A petiziwne  di  | Antoniw  Macro) 
Vicentino)  | MDXLVIL  | di  Maggio)  | 
Cojn  Priuilfigio)  di  N.S.  | Papa  Paulo)  III. 
£t  di  altri  | Po)tentati.  | AA^2T0N. — 

95 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

{Colophon)  Stampata  in  Venezia  per  Twlo- 
mew  laniculw  da  | Bressa  Ne  Fannw 
MDXLVIII.  I di  i2ttwbre. 

Octavo.  Three  volumes. 

The  first  edition,  printed  in  what  is  called  Trissino 
type,  in  which  the  long  o and  short  e are  expressed 
by  the  Greek  « and  e.  The  colophon,  Venezia,  T. 
Janiculo,  1^48,  is  only  at  the  end  of  the  second  and 
third  volumes. 

“It  has  some  literary  interest  as  the  first  attempt 
to  write  Italian  epic  poetry  in  blank  verse,  but  its 
great  misfortune  is  to  be  in  verse  of  any  kind,” — 
Garnett. 


1 17  La  Grammatichetta  | Di  M.  Giwvan 
Giorgiw  | Trissinw.  [Printer's  mark\. — 
{Colophoti)  Stampata  in  Vicenza  per 
Twlwmeo)  laniculw  | Nel  MDXXIX.  | Di 
Giugnw.  I Cwn  la  prwhibitiwne  di  Nostrw 
Signwre  Papa  | Clemente,  che  nessun’ 
altrw  possa  stampar  | questa  opera,  swttw 
la  pena,  che  | nel  Brieve,  e ne  I’altre  | 
gratie  si  cwntiene. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 


Valla,  Lorenzo,  was  bom  at  Rome  about  1406 
or  1407;  he  died  at  Naples  in  1457. 

96 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

ii8  Lavrentii  | Vallae  Elegantiarvm  | Libri 
Sex.  I Eivsdem  | De  Reciprocatione  Svi, 
Et  Svvs  I libellus  plurimum  utilis  . . . j 
{Aldus'  device\  M.D.XXXVI.— 

Venetiis,  in  Aedibvs  Haere  | Dvm  Aldi, 
Et  Andreae  | Asvlani  Soceri ; | M.D. 

XXXVI. 

Quarto. 

By  this  work,  which  gave  to  him  his  highest  reputa- 
tion, Valla  subjected  the  forms  of  Latin  grammar 
and  the  rules  of  Latin  rhetoric  to  critical  investiga- 
tion. He  placed  the  practice  of  composition  upon  a 
foundation  of  analysis  and  inductive  reasoning. 


Varchi,  Benedetto,  was  born  at  Florence  in 
1502  and  died  there  in  1565. 


1 19  L’Hercolano  | Dialogo  Di  Messer  | Bene- 
detto Varchi,  | nel  qua!  si  ragiona  gene- 
ralmente  delle  lingue,  et  in  | particolare 
della  Toscana,  e della  | Fiorentina  [ . • . 
{Printer's  mark\  In  Fiorenza,  | Nella 
stamperia  di  Filippo  Giunti,  | e Fratelli, 
MDLXX. 

Quarto. 

The  first  edition. 


97 


Original  and  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

120  Storia  | Fiorentina  | Di  Messer  | Bene- 
detto Varchi.  | ...  In  Colonia  {Augusta) 
MDCCXXI  I Appresso  Pietro  Martello. 

Folio, 

First  edition,  edited  by  Francesco  Settimanni  of 
Florence. 

This  work  includes  the  period  of  Florentine  his- 
tory between  the  years  1527  and  1538. 

1 21  Lezzioni  Di  | Benedetto  | Varchi  | Ac- 
cademico  Fiorentino,  | . . . | [Printer's 
mark]  In  Fiorenza,  | Per  Filippo  Givnti, 
I MDXC.  I Con  Licenza  de’  Superiori,  et 
Priuilegio. 

Quarto, 

The  first  complete  edition. 


Vasari,  Giorgio,  a celebrated  painter  and  archi- 
tect, was  born  at  Arezzo,  July  30,  1511 ; he  died  at 
Florence,  June  27,  1574. 

122  Delle  Vite  | De’  pin  Eccellenti  | Pittori, 
Scvltori,  I Et  Architetti.  | Di  Giorgio 
Vasari  | Pittore,  & Architetto,  Aretino  | 
In  Bologna,  MDCXLVIII  (-MDCLX- 
III).  I Per  gli  Eredi  di  Euangelista  Dozza. 
Con  licenza  de’  Superiori. 

Quarto,  Three  volumes, 

98 


Original  a?id  Early  Editions  of  Italian  Books 

Villani,  Giovanni,  was  born  at  Florence,  where 
he  died  of  the  plague  in  1348. 

. Taken  as  a whole,  he  may  be  regarded  as 
the  greatest  chronicler  who  has  written  in  Italian.” — 
Balzani. 

123  Croniche  Di  Messer  | Giovanni  Villani 
Cittadino  Fioren  | tino.  . . • | [ Woodcuf\ 
Hassi  nel  priuilegio,  & nella  gratia  ottenuta 
dalla  Illustrissima  Signoria  . . . — {^Colo- 
phon) Finiscono  le  Croniche  di  messer 
Giouan  Villani  Cittadino  Fiorenti-  | no. 
Stampate  in  Vinetia  per  Bartholomeo 
Zanetti  Casterza-  | gense.  Nel  anno  della 
incarnatione  del  Signore.  | M.D. XXXVII. 
del  mese  d’Agosto. 

Eolio. 

The  first  edition,  published  by  Giacomo  Fasolo.  It 
contains  only  the  first  ten  books  ; the  eleventh  and 
twelfth  were  printed  for  the  first  time  at  Florence  by 
L.  Torrentino  in  1554.  The  work  was  continued  by 
Giovanni’s  brother,  Matteo,  and  his  nephew,  Filippo, 
to  1368. 


99 


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